In The Field magazine Polk edition

CONTENTS

2023

2023 POLK COUNTY CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION RANCH RODEO AND TRADE SHOW

28

PAGE 10

From The Scientific Field

PAGE 12

Thoughts from the Heifer Pen

PAGE 14

Fishing Hot Spots

PAGE 16

Endangered Species

PAGE 18

Pythons

PAGE 22

Rocking Chair Chatter

PAGE 24

Gardening

PAGE 27

Apples

PAGE 32 Recipes

PAGE 34 Spring

PAGE 35 News Briefs

PAGE 36

John Dicks

PAGE 38 PCSO

PAGE 40 Activity

PAGE 41 A Closer Look

PAGE 42 Household Pests

Hey Readers!

Hidden

*Winners

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

Secretary/Treasurer - Justin Bunch PO Box 849 Highland City, FL 33846-0849 (863) 425-1121 justin.bunch@cpsagu.com

State Director – David Hunt 9699 Alt Bab Pk Cut-Off Rd Bartow, FL 33830 (863) 287-1835 Dhunt285@aol.com

Alternate SD – Orrin Webb PO Box 202 Bartow, FL 33831 (941) 916-5093 cwebbowebb@aol.com

Ray Clark 4484 Swindell Road Lakeland, FL 33810 (863) 640-0719 rclark@tampabay.rr.com

Donald Conroy 3882 Wolfolk Rd Fort Meade, FL 33841 (863) 412-0790

Stuart Fitzgerald PO Box 1437 Lake Wales, FL 33859 (863) 206-5021 stuartcattlellc@yahoo.com

Ken Sherrouse 13475 Moore Rd Lakeland, FL 33809-9755 (863) 698-1834 kensherrouse@yahoo.com

Scott Shoupe 6130 Allen Lane Lakeland, FL 33811 (863) 581-7593 Scott_shoupe@hotmail.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

Alternate Standing Committee Chairs: Membership

Events Trade Show- Bridget Stice

Rodeo- Fred Waters PO Box 463 Alturas, FL 33820-0463 (863) 559-7808

Website Cattlewomen – President, Leslie Buchanon 8444 Tom Costine Rd Lakeland, FL 33809 (863) 581-2711 Buckld96@gmail.com

Extension – Bridget Stice PO Box 9005, Drawer HS03 Bartow, FL 33831 (863) 519-1048 bccarlis@ufl.edu

Sheriff’s Dept. – Lt. Paul Wright 1891 Jim Keen Blvd. Winter Haven, FL 33880 (863) 557-1741 pw5281@polksheriff.org

Sgt. Tim Sanders 1891 Jim Keen Blvd. Winter Haven, FL 33880 (863) 656-6119 brusso@polksheriff.org

Warner University –Abby Crawford 13895 Highway 27 Lake Wales, FL 33859 (863) 638-7248 Abby.crawford@warner.edu

InTheField® Magazine P.O. Box 5377 • Plant City, Fl. 33566-0042

from the Editor

As I’m writing this, the 2023 Florida Strawberry Festival is heading into its last weekend. It’s been a successful run so far and I’m sure it will continue to be so throughout the final weekend. I hope you had a chance to attend and see all that the Festival has to offer!

Also wrapping up as I write this, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) hosted its annual Florida Farm to School Conference in central Florida to connect with schools, distributors, and producers across the state with the goal of increasing Florida products served in schools. The event taught best practices for school gardening and procurement processes and also allowed for networking with other Farm to School advocates.

“When our schools prioritize Florida-grown food, we all succeed – from the local farmers who grew the food, to those who delivered the food, to the school staff who purchased and prepared the food, to the students who enjoy the fresh, nutritious food, and every Floridian in between,” said Commissioner Wilton Simpson. “The Annual Florida Farm to School Conference presents a valuable opportunity to invite those who take part in bringing the food to our students’ lunch table together to make a meaningful impact in the lives of Florida’s students and agriculture-related industries.”

The initiative works to enhance the connection that communities have with local growers to increase Florida products served in schools.

According to a press release from FDACS, Florida schools purchased over $45 million in Florida products, contributing $97 million in total economic impact.

You can do your part to help boost Florida’s agriculture community by purchasing Fresh From Florida products. Your food will be the freshest available and you will support your local farmer and rancher.

Until Next Month

Sarah Holt

Publisher/Photography

Karen Berry

Senior Managing Editor/ Associate Publisher

Sarah Holt

Editor

Patsy Berry

Sales

Karen Berry

Sarah Holt

Melissa Nichols

George Domedion

Creative Director/Illustrator

Juan Alvarez

Photography

Karen Berry

Melissa Nichols

Staff Writers

Al Berry

Sandy Kaster

James Frankowiak

Sean Green

Contributing Writers

Woody Gore

John Dicks

Social Media

Victoria Saunders

Letters, comments and questions can be sent to P.O. Box 5377, Plant City, Florida 33563-0042 or you are welcome to email them to: info@inthefieldmagazine.com or call 813-759-6909

Advertisers warrant & represent the descriptions of their products advertised are true in all respects. In The Field Magazine assumes no responsibility for claims made by advertisers. All views expressed in all articles are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Berry Publications, Inc. Any use or duplication of material used in In the Field magazine is prohibited without written consent from Berry Publications, Inc.

you. - Numbers 6:25

Published by Berry Publications, Inc.

Hello to everyone. March has brought us some very warm and dry weather. Hopefully soon we can get some much needed moisture and we’ll be in good shape as far as grass goes.

We had a good turnout for the trade show and ranch rodeo. Good weather and good fellowship. This year we had the first youth whip popping contest before the rodeo and it went well. I’m sure it will be a mainstay in the future years. Thanks to all the volunteers that helped put this together, and especially thanks to all our sponsors, whom without we couldn’t have made all of this happen.

The cow and calf market continues to improve, a good thing considering how much it cost to raise one these days. Hopefully this lasts a while before we find the top.

Take care until next time,

Kevin Fussell

Polk County Cattlemen’s Association

FROM THE SCIENTIFIC FIELD

MINIMIZING THE RISK OF PESTICIDES FOR HONEY BEES AND OTHER POLLINATORS

By Luis Rodriguez, small farms and pesticide education agent, UF/IFAS Extension Polk County

Pesticides are an important part of any farmer’s Integrated Pest Management to maintain low pest population and avoid economical losses. It is important that all pesticide applications are executed following label instructions to minimize pollution and unnecessary harm to living organisms. Among these living organisms are bees and other pollinators. Pollinators are organisms that help in the reproduction of plants transporting pollen from flower to flower. Some birds and mammals are considered pollinators, but arthropods, especially insects, are credited the most for pollination.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE WESTERN HONEY BEE

The Western honey bee (Apis mellifera) is extremely important for agriculture. This insect is credited with approximately 85% of the pollination of all crops in the world. For example, in Florida, honeybees help in the pollination process of strawberries, watermelons, blueberries, and other important crops of the state. It is important to point out that without the honey bees, agriculture as we know it would be different and probably more difficult.

STRATEGIES TO PROTECT THE WESTERN HONEY BEE AND OTHER POLLINATORS FROM PESTICIDES

Pesticides, when used according to label instructions, should represent a low risk to the environment and living organisms. Regardless, it is a good practice to take extra precautions to protect pollinators and the Western honeybee when using these chemicals. Some of these precautions are as follows:

• Localize beekeepers near the application areas and notify them of future pesticide applications – Consult the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services-Division of Plant Industry to localize registered beekeepers near your area of application.

• Use pesticides only when needed – Pesticides should only be applied if needed. For example, do a pesticide application only when plants are infested with pests, to avoid unnecessary risk to bees and other pollinators.

• Know pollinator behaviors – Bees and other pollinators are more active during the day between 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Furthermore, always be conscious of longer days and shorter days. When possible, make pesticide applications during the night or early morning to avoid pesticide exposure to bees and other polli-

nators. Honey bees will fly when the temperature is above 55 to 60 degrees. It is always good to verify for bee activity before any pesticide application.

• Avoid water contamination – As with any other living organisms, bees require water to survive. They use water to feed their brood and cool the hive. Contaminated water will create an unnecessary risk to bees and other pollinators.

• Avoid spraying pesticides on attractant flower plants – Plants with flowers will attract bees on them, especially with yellow, white, and purple-blue flowers. It is important to avoid the use of insecticides on flower plants before and during blooming. Also, be conscious of adjacent plants with attractant flowers where pollinators may be present.

• Beware of pesticide interactions – Some pesticides can be mixed and applied together. This can help the farmer save money during applications. On the other hand, some pesticide mixtures can be more toxic to bees and other pollinators when mixed. For example, when propiconazole is mixed with pyrethroid insecticides, it may increase the toxicity to bees.

• Know your pesticide – Some chemicals, such as neonics pesticides, are very harmful to bees. There are pesticides that have pollinator warnings on their labels, to indicate the possible threat to bees and other pollinators. If possible, it is recommended to avoid the use of such pesticides.

Bees and pollinators are very important for plant reproduction. Without these organisms, it will be very difficult to produce crops the way we do today. We should always keep in mind bees and other pollinators when applying chemicals to crops to avoid unnecessary pesticide exposure among them.

For more information about pollinators and bees please access these “Ask IFAS” publications (https:// edis.ifas.ufl.edu/) and look under “Minimizing Honey Bee Exposure to Pesticides.”

Contact Luis O. Rodríguez, Small Farms and Pesticide Information Agent, UF/IFAS Extension, Polk County, lrodriguezrosado@ufl.edu, 863-519-1049, http://polk. ifas.ufl.edu.

By Marisol Tarango

THOUGHTS FROM THE HEIFER PEN

Today I am wearing what I call my homesteader-soccer momMennonite outfit, though I am not really any of those things. This outfit consists of a t-shirt, sports skirt or skorts, and a wildrag tied in my hair like a peasant woman. Shoes are optional with this outfit, though if I am wearing shoes, it is usually my hiking boots. Why this outfit? To be honest I am not totally sure, but there are some practical reasons. I like using a wildrag to cover my hair because it keeps my curls in line without pulling tight on them. A t-shirt of course because I want to be comfortable, and the hiking boots because cowboy boots look funny with anything but jeans. I have to say though, the skirt/skorts are purely aesthetic to please my inner child, I could be just as comfortable in shorts.

What do I do in this outfit though? I usually wear it when I go on a walk for exercise or on days that I am home all day and want to pretend I am a milk maid taking care of her little farm (usually Saturdays when I am doing damage control on what got neglected during the week). I usually do inside chores in this outfit, but more often than not, I end up doing my evening chores in it because I couldn’t be bothered to change after my walk. I try not to do things that are terribly dirty in it or something that will get my legs scratched up, but you can never be sure. A few weeks ago, I was on my walk when I got a call from my dad saying that he needed me to bring him the truck and trailer to load a steer. This turned my walk into a run to get across the pasture. By the time I made it to the house, my dad was already there to hook up the trailer. As I rode with him to get gates, the temperature started to drop, and I was regretting that I only had a short skirt on and not pants. I really started to regret it when I had to help get the steer in the trailer by his tail. I am sure you can imagine what was on his tail and what got on my skirt and legs, but that is the price we pay for wearing girly things on the ranch sometimes.

I don’t think that you have to wear dresses to truly embrace womanhood, but there is something about wearing a dress or skirt that makes me feel extra feminine and whimsical in it. Even though there are some women who do, wearing a dress every day on the ranch is not the most practical thing and sometimes not the safest. When we were younger, if we

were working with our dad, we had to wear pants. Pants would protect our legs from getting scratched or bitten by bugs, but they would also not get caught in machinery or snagged on the fence or branches. Skirts were also not the most practical thing to ride horses in. So, wearing dresses was somewhat of a special occasion. Not to say that we didn’t wear dresses, but switching outfits throughout the day gets old fast so we would end up wearing pants the whole day. Now, as an adult with an office job and plenty of opportunities to wear dresses and skirts during the day, I still find myself preferring to wear pants. Some of it has to do with pants actually having pockets, but I also just feel more confident and secure in pants. I wonder about this sometimes. I think its combination of the comfort that I can actually feel the pants on me and not just something hanging from my waist, but I also think that in my brain pants mean business (as in working cows or riding colts) and that makes me feel ready to take on the world.

Maybe the choice between pants and skirts is only the problem of the modern woman, brought on by modern problems (like catching your skirt in barbwire). But sometimes it is the problem of the ranching woman alone. Some days she wants to bake bread and hang out laundry in her dress while she looks wistfully off into the distance hoping to see her bonnie lad coming over the hill. But that is not an everyday luxury, sometimes not even a once a week luxury.

My sister and I were talking the other day about being women in ranching and how sometimes it’s just kind of hard. Not because people think less of us because we are women, but quite the opposite. Growing up with no older brothers we did the duty of both sons and daughters, and we still do. Even though we are capable of the work, there is still a nameless pressure that we feel. Maybe it’s to prove to ourselves that we are just as capable as a man, or maybe it’s the pressure to just keep up with the rest of the crew. But then of course there is the surprise when people find out that we are just as capable in the house as we are in the cowpens. And it’s kinda nice to be valued as a girl who can wear pants and dresses.

Fishing Spring Sheepshead

Fishing in Tampa Bay and Near Shore Waters

Everything seems to be biting, depending on the tides and, of course, the red tide. Snook, Redfish, Sea Trout, Mangrove snapper, Sheepshead, later season mackerel, and look for summer trout in deeper channels.

Sheepshead, winter, spring, and summer fishing action can be enjoyable, and they’re great for eating.

Let’s Start With Sheepshead Bait: Finding bait for sheepshead is not complicated; practically any marinedwelling crustacean or bivalve living in saltwater will work. Of course, some baits frequently work better than others. However, I will give you a few clues on what to use for these stripped bait stealers. Fiddler crabs, in my opinion, are one of the top sheepshead baits. I use a lightweight Carolina Rig or Knocker Rig for deeper water, like around bridges, and for anything shallower, I free-line them on a snelled Diachii circle hook.

A close second to fiddlers is the mud crab that most folks never consider. This little crab lives under oysters and rocks and requires a little effort, so yes, you have to get out of the boat and turn over some rocks and oyster clusters.

Therefore, before you head out sheepshead fishing, find some shallow or dry nearshore oysters or rocks and capture a few dozen mud crabs or purchase some fiddlers from your local bait store. My third favorite bait is a ¾ to 1-inch piece of fresh shrimp. But stay away from old and freezer burned. Shrimp are good sheepshead bait and are nearly as effective as fiddlers or mud crabs. And best of all, they are easily acquired from your local bait shop.

Where to Fish: Sheepsheads are usually in the same places year-round. So if you are looking for early morning action, check submerged rock piles, jetties, piers, and structure-laden tidal creeks. Nevertheless, the key to finding sheepshead is looking for structures and habitats usually associated with food. Of course, tides play a significant role in their feeding habits.

In my opinion, fiddler crabs are the number one sheepshead bait. There are three fiddler crab species in Florida within the estuarine shorelines. They are usually found where the sand or mud meets the water. Look for small pennysized holes with crab colonies darting in and out. Fiddler crabs can be captured by hand (quite exciting) or skillfully herded into a bucket on its side using two 2’x4’s to direct them into the bucket.

Captain Woody Gore

A close second to fiddlers, and nearly as practical, is ½ a mediumsized shrimp. On some days they are even more effective and are easier to find at your local bait shop. Fresh or frozen, buy live shrimp or freshly frozen and cut into small ½ to 1-inch pieces. Oysters, Mussels, or Clams are part of the sheepshead’s natural bait diet and are usually attached to dock pilings, seawalls, piers, oyster reefs, or shallow sand. The meat gives off an attractive odor to sheepshead and is effectively freshly collected and shucked.

Another good bait, commonly used for pompano, is sand fleas, aka “mole crabs,” which are also an excellent choice for sheepshead. Sand fleas live in the surf zone along most Florida beaches. Often seen swimming back in the water after each wave. Sand flea rakes are sold in tackle shops and used to capture these small crabs. Or simply use your hands to filter the sand as the water and sand retreat after large waves.

Essentially any marine-dwelling crustacean or bivalve you can get your hands on will attract the bite of a sheepshead. Every species has a “preferred” diet, but most are opportunistic predators.

Capt. Woody Gore operates Tampa Bay's #1 Outdoor Fishing Guide Services. Guiding and fishing in Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater areas for over fifty years, he offers first-class customer service, family-oriented charters, and a lifetime of memories.

Visit his website, www.captainwoodygore.com

Email: fishing@captainwoodygore.com

ES Cooley’s Water-Willow

By Libby Hopkins

Cooley’s water-willow or Justicia cooleyi as its known by its scientific name, is a rhizomatous perennial herb with upright stems that grow about 16 in tall. The lavender-rose flowers, which resemble small snapdragons, appear from August to December on forked, zigzag branches. The petals are fused into a two-lipped corolla. The slightly longer lower lip is mottled lavender and white; the upper lip is bright lavender-rose.

Cooley’s Water-Willow grows only in Hernando, Citrus, and Sumter Counties in Florida. It can be very abundant in one area, and completely absent in an adjacent area, though habitat conditions appear similar. Understanding what specific habitat features it needs can help guide biologists in management of state forest lands to best support the existing populations and can help in the selection of new areas to introduce new populations.

Cooley’s water-willow was first collected in 1924 in a hardwood forest near Mascotte in Lake County. Until recently it was only found in Hernando County; one population was discovered in the early 1990s in Sumter County.

Along with the Brooksville bell-flower, it occurs on federal property at an Agriculture Department research station. Other populations on public lands include those at the Chinsegut Nature Center, managed by the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission; along a state highway right-of-way; and at a Soil Conservation Service plant materials center. The Nature Conservancy also manages a preserve for Cooley’s water-willow.

Nine of the ten known Cooley’s water-willow populations are found in one of the fastest growing counties in the nation. From 1980 to 1986 Hernando County grew by 74.8 percent. The U.S. Census Bureau dubbed it the nation’s fastest growing county. Figures from the 1990 Census confirmed that the trend continues; the proposed Sun Coast Corridor toll road, part of a Tampa-Jacksonville corridor, would pass near Brooksville and encourage further population growth in the county. This rapid development has brought about greatly increased conversion of hardwood forest habitat to agricultural use, quarries and residential housing.

A number of the known populations of Cooley’s water-willow are on protected federal and state lands. The agricultural research station, which conducts beef cattle research, has not harmed the plant with its pasture management. The U. S. Fish

and Wildlife Service (FWS) will continue to monitor the station’s pasture management and consult on any proposal to clear additional forest.

Managers of all state and federal land with Cooley’s waterwillow populations have been notified of its presence. In addition, The Nature Conservancy operates a private landholder notification program for this and other rare Florida plants.

The 1994 recovery plan from the FWS, which describes necessary efforts to restore both the Cooley’s water-willow and the Brooksville Bellflower, notes that the primary objective for the plan is the eventual delisting of both species. The plan notes, however, that there is a fundamental lack of basic biological (i.e., distributional, ecological, reproductive, and systemic) knowledge about these species, which makes it difficult to set criteria to determine the time-frame or ultimate likelihood of delisting. Still, the plan states that delisting of both species should become feasible as habitat is protected and new populations are (re)established.

According to the 1994 plan, plausible criteria for recovery might include securing at least 15 viable and self-sustaining populations of Cooley’s water-willow, totaling at least 10,000 individuals. The major recovery actions outlined in the plan include the development of management and protection criteria for populations on current managed areas; the acquisition of additional habitat, or protection of habitat through conservation easements and/or regulation; the completion of additional surveys to locate new populations; the augmentation of existing cultivated populations, including the establishment of a germ plasm bank; and the development of plans for possible (re)introduction of plants into sustainable habitat.

UF/IFAS

SCIENTISTS

LURE BURMESE PYTHONS USING RADIO TELEMETRY DURING MATING/BREEDING SEASON

By Lourdes Mederos

University of Florida wildlife scientists are scouting for Burmese pythons in the Everglades by using previously captured pythons to lure, locate and learn how the invasive species is thriving in the Everglades.

This latest effort is a large-scale python removal scout program led by UF/IFAS scientists in collaboration with the United States Geological Survey (USGS), Fort Collins Science Center, South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Researchers are using pythons captured by SFWMD’s Python Elimination Program and FWC’s Python Action Team Removing Invasive Constrictors (PATRIC) to study python biology further as they leverage radio telemetry technology during the species mating and breeding seasons to remove pythons.

“Our study links python ecology with removal efforts,” said Melissa Miller, project lead and research assistant scientist specializing in invasion biology at UF/IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center. “This allows for long-term, in-depth research projects, which are critical to understanding cryptic, long-lived species such Burmese pythons, all while continuing to find and remove pythons from the Everglades.”

Adult male and female pythons, provided by the water management district’s Python Elimination Program and FWC’s Python Action Team, are implanted with tracking devices and released into Everglades Francis S. Taylor Wildlife Management Area.

As pythons form mating aggregations consisting of multiple male suitors lured by a female, tracking them during their breeding season can increase the number of snakes removed. The tracked males can help scientists locate female pythons capable of producing up to 100 eggs, which

can be captured and removed. Sex pheromones secreted by tracked females lure males naturally and female pythons can provide important life history information concerning reproduction and survivorship that can be used to help estimate the number of pythons in the Everglades.

The tracking devices will lead researchers to the snakes, allowing them to record behavior and document reproductive data such as nesting sites, clutch size, hatchlings and how many survive.

The project will help inform management efforts by increasing our understanding of how pythons use a predominant habitat type -- sawgrass marsh interspersed with tree islands -- within the Everglades.

The team has started tracking eight adult pythons, which will provide data on habitat use and python abundance that will help natural resource managers evaluate control efforts, said Miller, who is also affiliated with the UF/IFAS Croc Docs.

“As administering a python radiotelemetry project in the Everglades requires many resources, the project will also assess innovative tools to reduce those resources while allowing for increased data collection,” Miller said.

The program launch coincides with the release of a paper last month which takes a deep dive into what scientists have learned over decades about the python invasion. Burmese pythons in Florida: A synthesis of biology, impacts, and management tools, led by the USGS Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, is a collaboration among several federal and state agencies, non-governmental organizations and academic institutions, including UF/IFAS. The paper showcases years of research, control efforts and the challenges associated with management of the Burmese python in Florida.

Miller, along with UF/IFAS wildlife ecology and conservation faculty Christina Romagosa and Frank Mazzotti who collectively have more than 40 years of experience studying large reptile invasions in Florida -- contributed their findings to the manuscript.

“Years of research by UF/IFAS faculty have added to our knowledge of python biology, impacts and management, including identifying native wildlife at risk of predation by pythons, and impacts of pythons through introduction of emerging pathogens and parasites,” said Miller.

The research has further increased our understanding of pythons’ ability to withstand cold temperatures, identified how they use habitats within biologically sensitive areas, and explored methods to increase python detection and removal.

Florida is a hotspot for invasive species, with over 500 nonnative species reported, according to FWC.

“Once a nonnative species becomes established in the wild (meaning reproducing), it is often too late to eradicate; and as is the case with Burmese pythons, natural resource managers must focus on containment and long-term management which is costly on resources and impacts to native ecosystems,” said Miller.

For this reason, the UF/IFAS Croc Docs reminds Florida residents and visitors to report sightings of invasive species immediately on EddMapS, the IveGot1 smartphone app or call 1-888-Ive-Got1 to prevent establishment and to protect the Everglades ecosystem.

To reduce the number of nonnative species released into the wild, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Exotic Pet Amnesty Program provides owners the opportunity to surrender pets for any reason at any time, even if those pets are regulated in Florida.

ABOUT UF/IFAS

The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS brings science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents. ifas.ufl.edu | @UF_IFAS

CENTRAL FLORIDA YOUTH IN AGRICULTURE LIVESTOCK SHOWCASE & SALE

March 22-25, 2023

Location: Polk County Agricultural Center- 1702 S. Holland Parkway, Bartow, Florida

CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR POLK YOUTH SHOWING LIVESTOCK

www.youthinagriculture.com

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22, 2023

7 a.m. - 11 a.m. - Beef arrival check-in/ weigh-in

1 p.m. - 6 p.m. - Swine arrival, check-in/ weigh-in

3 p.m. - Beef Exhibitor Meeting - Arena

6:30 p.m. - Zebu and Bull Shows

Zebu females, Zebu bulls, American Influence

bulls, Euro bulls, B&O bulls, Top 5 Overall bulls

THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023

BEEF DAY

9 a.m. - Beef Show

Showmanship

Novice, Junior, Intermediate, Senior, Adaptive

Registered Females

Brahman, Brangus, Ultra Brangus, Angus,

AOB, Simmental

Commercial Heifers

American Influenced

European

Bred & Owned Heifer Show

Bred & Owned American Influence

Bred & Owned Euro

Supreme Champion Heifer Drive

6 pm

Steer Shows

Prospect, American Influence, B&O, Market

Supreme Steer Champion Drive

*non market cattle may leave at the conclusion of show

FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 2023

SWINE DAY

8 a.m. - Exhibitor Meeting

9 a.m. - Showmanship (Adaptive, Novice, Junior, Intermediate, Senior)

1 p.m. - Swine Shows

Market Swine, followed by Breeding

Gilts

SATURDAY, MARCH 25, 2023

LIVESTOCK JUDGING & SALE DAY

9 a m - Registration - Judging Contest

10 a.m. - Livestock Judging Contest

4 to 6 pm - Buyer’s & Sponsors Dinner in the Stuart Center

6 p.m. - Market Steer & Swine Sale

Hayman Arena - Bartow

*Schedule is subject to change

Caimito has numerous common names including cainito, caimito, tar apple, star apple, purple star apple, golden leaf tree, abiaba, pomme de lait, estrella, milk fruit and aguay.

Slugs have four noses

In Cambodia, caimito is called “Plae Teuk Dos” which means milk fruit due to its milky juices inside.

Sea otters hold each other’s paws when they sleep so they don’t drift apart.

Beef fat, called tallow, is an ingredient in soaps, cosmetics, candles, shortenings, and chewing gum.

An acre of land is about the same size as a football field.

Raising beef cattle is the single largest segment of American agriculture.

The heaviest turkey ever raised weighed 86 pounds, about the size of an average third-grader.

One pound of wool can make 10 miles of yarn.

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.

With every generation, we get better at protecting our environment. ®

Most all of us can remember how our mother would always have an answer for any question we would ask. As a child I often questioned her answers, but the older I got the more I realized how smart she really was.

I sometimes would miss school because of a cold, headache or some made up minor sickness. She could see through me like an open window. Usually I would start feeling better about the time school let out, and she would say, “If you’re too sick to go to school, you’re too sick to play outside.”

Here are some of my mother’s favorite sayings; I don’t care what “everyone” is doing. I care what YOU are doing! I’m doing this for your own good! I’m going to skin you alive! I’m not going to ask you again. If it were a snake, it would have bitten you. If you could stay out last night, you can get up this morning. Over my dead body! Pick that up before somebody trips on it and breaks their neck! Pick up your feet. Put that down! You don’t know where it’s been! Say that again and I’ll wash your mouth out with soap.

One of her funniest sayings was when she saw a person acting odd or wearing something outrageous was, “The sights you see when you haven’t got a gun.”

How may of these have you heard before?

A little soap & water never killed anybody. Always wear clean underwear in case you get in an accident.

Answer me when I ask you a question.

Are you going out dressed like that?

Are your hands broken? Pick it up yourself! I’m not your maid.

Bored! How can you be bored? I was never bored at your age.

Clean up after yourself.

Cupcakes are NOT a breakfast food.

Did you clean your room?

Did you flush the toilet?

Do you live to annoy me?

Do you think this is a hotel? You can’t just come here only to sleep.

Don’t ask me WHY. The answer is NO.

Don’t cross your eyes or they’ll freeze that way.

Don’t EVER let me catch you doing that again!

Don’t make me come in there.

Don’t run with a lollipop in your mouth.

Don’t stay up too late.

Don’t use that tone with me.

Don’t you have anything better to do?

Go ask your father.

Go to your room and think about what you did. How can you have nothing to wear? Your closet is FULL of clothes.

“Mother Said”

Editor’s Note: This Rocking Chair Chatter was originally printed in the March 2019 issue

How many times do I have to tell you? I can always tell when you’re lying.

My mother said a lot a lot of things, but the one that I remember the most is; “Never look down on anyone, unless it is to offer your hand to help them up.”

My mother had a way to keep me under control. When I was about six years old I went through a phase of flicking the lights in our house on and off continuously. This was in the early 40s during World War II, so Mom convinced me to stop by telling me that doing so would send a signal to the Germans to bomb our house. That did the trick.

A friend of mine a few cabins down from me on Moon Ridge in Blairsville, GA is an interesting person. One afternoon we engaged in a conversation about our mothers.

He said when he was a child his mother always turned the cold water tap on first thing each morning, and let it run for a minute or so. She said she did that to clear the pipes of the stale water from the night before. He said there were no copper pipes in those days, all lead, but she didn’t know that.

She also cleaned her carpets by sprinkling tea leaves all over them, then brushing the carpet with a stiff brush. He said it was years before she ever got a vacuum cleaner.

If he said he was hungry between meals she would give him a slice of bread and butter and a glass of water.

He smiled and looked up at the sky and said, “One day she came over to visit me, and as she was leaving it started to rain. I gave her my umbrella to walk home with. About a week later I stopped in to see her. I was surprised to see my umbrella wide open in her living room by the window. She told me that she had been waiting for a rainy day to bring it back to me, as she couldn’t get the cockeyed thing closed!

A guy shopping in a supermarket noticed a little old lady following him around. If he stopped, she stopped. Furthermore she kept staring at him. She finally overtook him at the checkout, and she turned to him and said, “I hope I haven’t made you feel ill at ease; it’s just that you look so much like my late son.” He answered, “That’s okay.” “I know it’s silly, but if you’d call out ‘Goodbye, Mom’ as I leave the store, it would make me feel so happy.”

She then went through the checkout ... and as she was on her way out of the store, the man called out, “Goodbye, Mother.” The little old lady waved and smiled back at him. Pleased that he had brought a little sunshine into someone’s day, he went to pay for his groceries. “That comes to $121.85,” said the clerk.

“How come so much? I only bought five items.” The clerk replied, “Yeah, but your Mother said you’d pay for her things, too.”

We all love our mothers. My mother taught me about STAMINA. “You’ll sit there until all that spinach is gone.”

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! THE MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEER PROGRAM TURNS 50!

This year, the Master Gardener Volunteer program celebrates its 50th year. Programs across the United States (and beyond) are recognizing the extraordinary accomplishments the program has made in so many communities. Additionally, March 20-26 is officially National Extension Master Gardener Volunteer week.

How did the Master Gardener Volunteer program start? How does it benefit the state and the local community?

The urban growth in many areas of the United States coupled with increased interest in the environment and home gardening have prompted ever-increasing numbers of resident questions to County Extension Service agents. Many of these questions are seasonal in nature and are relatively easily answered assuming that one has horticultural training. So, in 1972, an innovative Extension Agent (Dr. David Gibby) at Washington State University reasoned that well-trained volunteers could respond to many of the everyday residential questions freeing him and his colleagues for more technical and difficult issues. Volunteers, such as Extension Homemakers and 4-H Leaders had always been a part of the Extension Service, so it only made sense that Extension horticulture volunteers would work.

The Extension agent selected, trained, and certified volunteers as Master Gardeners. They soon succeeded in meeting his desired objectives - in fact they exceeded his expectations. This led to the genesis of the Master Gardener Volunteer Program.

Since that time, the Master Gardener Volunteer Program has grown and is now active in 45 states. Florida's began in 1979. The Florida Master Gardener Volunteer Program is sponsored by the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension Service. A very active program, in 2022, Florida’s Master Gardener Volunteer Program cited a membership of over 3,200 volunteers donating over 305,000 hours of volunteer service to local communities around the state. At a value of $27.68/hour, this means that over $8.5 million dollars of volunteer time was donated in Florida in 2022 alone!

These programs are local. The Master Gardener Volunteer Program in each county focuses on the local needs of the residents. From assisting with community and school gardens, home gardening queries, and water savings, Master Gardener Volunteer programs aim to help the community in a variety of ways. In Polk County, the Master

Polk County Master Gardener Volunteers Carol Leffler and Betty Harrison with Dr. David Gibby at the International Master Gardener Conference in 2019.

Gardener Volunteer Program began in the late 1980s and has a huge success educating youth and adults alike. Each March, Master Gardener Volunteers teach Polk County fourth grade students about pollination and plants at Agrifest. This internationally award-winning curriculum reaches over 3,000 students each year! Additionally, Polk County Master Gardener Volunteers educate residents at workshops, webinars, in the Plant Clinic, and at local events. Through these programs, residents reported millions of gallons of water savings. This local program has won numerous international and national awards for innovative programming.

Join UF/IFAS Extension Polk County in recognizing our amazing volunteers on our social media sites (@PolkGardening) all week, March 20-26. Share with us how a Master Gardener Volunteer has helped in your community. If you are interested in becoming a Master Gardener Volunteer in Polk County, applications are now open at https://bttr.im/fb719.

For more information, contact UF/IFAS Extension Polk County at (863) 519-1041 or visit us online

at http://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/polk. The Plant Clinic is open Monday-Friday, 9:00 am-4:00 pm to answer your gardening and landscaping questions. Give us a call or email us at polkmg@ifas.ufl.edu.

If you are not in Polk County, Contact your local UF/IFAS Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Plant Clinic.

The Florida Master Gardener Volunteer Program is a volunteer-driven program that benefits UF/ IFAS Extension and the citizens of Florida. The program extends the vision of the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, all the while protecting and sustaining natural resources and environmental systems, enhancing the development of human resources, and improving the quality of human life through the development of knowledge in agricultural, human and natural resources and making that knowledge accessible.

An Equal Opportunity Institution.

FLORIDA

Strawberries & Pineberries

FLORIDA APPLES

By Sandy Sun, M.S. Clinical Medicines, B.S. Nutrition Science

Cosmic Crisp, Honeycrisp and other newer popular varieties of apples are available at grocery stores these days. It seems the apple selection has grown quite a bit in the past few years. Apples are grown in Florida as well, though they tend to be different then classic Northern cultivars which include Gala, Fuji, and Red Delicious, because the Southern types were cultivated to require fewer hours of cold weather. The types of apples that grow in Florida are different because apple production requires a certain number of chill hours during the winter to successfully set buds in the spring. Temperatures need to be below 45 degrees Fahrenheit for a set number of hours, depending on type of apple. Florida cultivars require fewer chill hours.

The apple is a member of the Rose family, along with apricots, plums, cherries, peaches, pears, and raspberries. Apples have a white or cream-colored flesh with red, green, or yellow skin. Most types are sweet and crisp, with a varying level of tartness depending on the kind. Apples should be picked off the tree when they reach optimal size and color. If slightly immature, apples will also ripen in the refrigerator.

Cosmic Crisp apples are known for being large and juicy, with a balanced sweet and tart flavor. The texture is firm and crisp. They are bred and grown in Washington state and delicious eaten out-of-hand as well as for cooking and baking.

Honeycrisp apples originated in Minnesota and are now the state fruit of Minnesota. This variety of apple is known for being crisp and sweet. They are grown in the colder states of New York, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. They also have a long shelf life and can be refrigerated for up to six months. Honeycrisp apples are delicious eaten raw and are also used for cooking and baking.

Nutrition

Fresh Florida apples are low in calories and high in water, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, one medium fresh apple (182grams) contains 95 calories, 25 grams of carbohydrate, 4.4 grams of fiber, 0.5 grams of protein, and 0.3 grams of fat. A single apple also contains 17% of your daily requirements for dietary fiber, 11% for vitamin C, 8% for biotin, 6% for potassium, and plentiful amounts of other nutrients including the B vitamins, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, and manganese.

Blood Sugar Regulation

Apples contain phytonutrients, natural chemicals found in plants, which function in many beneficial ways. Some of these can help regulate blood sugar by slowing the speed and amount of breakdown of complex carbohydrates into simple sugars. Polyphenols also decrease how much sugar your body absorbs from the food eaten. Additionally, these compounds help muscles take up more sugar from the blood to use as fuel. The dietary fiber in apples can also help prevent blood sugar spikes.

Cancer Protection

Other phytonutrients act as antioxidants, which decrease the harmful oxidation of cell membranes which can lead to atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular risk factors. Antioxidants are very powerful in helping to reduce inflammation, which plays a role in many common chronic diseases such as arthritis, heart disease, and some cancers. The antioxidants also help lower risk of asthma and lung cancer. New research shows that antioxidants may also help protect against breast cancer and colon cancer. As with most foods, the less processing the better it is nutritionally. Whole apples are richer in antioxidants, polyphenols, and dietary fiber than the more processed applesauce or apple juice. Most of the nutrients are highly concentrated in the outer skin of the apple.

Heart Health

A single serving contains 17% of your daily fiber needs. Apples contain soluble fiber (pectins) as well as insoluble fiber. A high intake of fiber from fruits and vegetables can help prevent heart disease by lowering cholesterol, particularly the soluble type. Both total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol are decreased with high fiber intake.

How to Select and Store

Choose firm apples that have rich colors and a slight blush. Avoid any that are bruised or have broken skin. Apples vary in tartness depending on variety. Fresh Florida apples, including the Anna, Dorsett Golden, and Tropic Sweet, can be stored in the refrigerator for up to six weeks.

How to Enjoy

Fresh Florida apples are delicious eaten out-of-hand. They can also be sliced and added to a salad or sautéed or baked. Other ways to enjoy fresh apples include:

• Chop and braise with red cabbage

• Slice and serve with cheese for a simple dessert

• Core a whole apple, stuff the core with brown sugar, butter, and raisins, and microwave or bake

• Slice into wedges and grill; top with cinnamon

• Dice and add to ham dishes or casseroles

• Chop finely and add to cakes, cupcakes, muffins, or quick bread

• Chop and add to slow cooker with cinnamon for an easy chunky applesauce

• Slice and use in an apple crisp

• Slice and serve with other fruits and vegetables along with hummus, salad dressing, or other dips.

• Core and slice into rings. Bake at low temperature for several hours to make dried apples, a nutritious and portable snack Enjoy fresh Florida apples today. With their sweet, refreshing flavor and great nutrition, apples are wonderfully versatile and can be a delicious part of any appetizer, main course, or dessert.

Selected References

http://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/

http://www.whfoods.com

AND TRADE SHOW

By Melissa Nichols

For the first time in several years a sense of normalcy came over the horse arena in Bartow as the 2023 Polk County Cattlemen’s Association Ranch Rodeo and Trade Show took place on its normal time in February. This year, the stars just seemed to line up as the weather was good, and a lot of teams decided to join in on the fun. It was the inaugural whip popping contest for the Juniors and the whip popping had over 20 participants. The rodeo events were the same as in years’ past, Sorting, Double Mugging, Wild Cow Milking, Calf Branding, Colt Riding and Senior Sorters. This year was the largest ranch rodeo in Polk County history, with more teams entered and more spectators watching than in the past. The teams put on a great show for those who came out to see the rodeo. The events are always fun to watch as they

are designed to showcase things that truly happen on a ranch. The crowd was an equal mix of ranch owners, dayworkers, sponsors, families, and those who just came out to see the fun. The teams this year were Raney Cattle, M&D Overstreet Ranch, MT Cattle, 6 Mile Ranch, Buck Mann Ranch, No Land No Cattle, Cattlemen’s Livestock Market, Hagin Cattle, KH Cattle, Newsome Cattle, Rafter 4R, and Rowdy Cattle.

The rodeo started out with the calf branding where a number is called out and the men on the team must ride out that calf, rope it, get it caught and the female team member runs with a branding iron to brand the calf. The time ends when the female team member returns the branding iron to the “fire.” The winner of this years’ calf branding was Raney Cattle.

The next event was wild cow milking, this event requires that a team member hold onto the cow that is haltered, another team member secures the animal from behind so that the one that is milking the cow can collect some milk. This event is always a crowd favorite but sometimes not understood. We often see cattle that aren’t nursing their calves like they should and it’s important that we are able to get nutrition to these calves, especially colostrum. The winner of this year’s wild cow milking was Buck Mann Ranch.

Next up was double mugging where the team members rope the calf that was called out, each calf must be headed and heeled, the calf is dropped, rope removed and the calf is tied and must have three legs tied for six seconds for a qualifying time. This event is a part of the rodeo because it is often done when working cattle and one calf goes away from the bunch. It also displays the team work that takes place. The winner of the double mugging was No Land No Cattle.

The sorting event requires the female team member ride into a group of calves, a number is called, and she must ride that calf out alone while the rest of the team keeps the group from crossing the line. She then has to sort out the two numbers following her original calf number. This is a commonly done on a ranch when working a select group of cows, the cattle are all gathered up and pairs are often sorted out. The sorting winner this year was 6 Mile Ranch with a near impossible time of 34 seconds.

The final event was the colt riding, this is probably a crowd favorite. The colts have never been saddled or ridden before. The team must saddle the horse and one rider stay on the colt for eight seconds and get him to move, the more they move and the more they

buck the more points they get. Many fell off and had to get back on, some colts didn’t want to move, a few really gave a good show. The winner was Buck Mann Ranch.

The final event of the day was Senior Sorters. This event is made up of teams who once competed in the main event and now have decided to stick to sorting as broken bones don’t heal quite as easily as we age. The event is just like the sorting in the main ranch rodeo except the rider who sorts can be male or female. The winner this year was Low Plain Drifters, consisting of Neil Combee, Jimmy Allen and Mike Tomkow.

The Polk County Cattlemen’s Ranch Rodeo would not be possible without the help of the Cattlemen, Cattlewomen and all of the sponsors and volunteers. Fred Waters asked that a special thank you be given to the Polk County Cattlewomen who single handedly prepared a record amount of food for the crowd and participants. The overall top team for the ranch rodeo this year was Buck Mann Ranch, second place team was No Land No Cattle, third place was 6 Mile Ranch. Congratulations Buck Mann Ranch for qualifying for the state finals to be held in September at Silver Spurs in Kissimmee. The date for the 2024 Polk County Ranch Rodeo has been confirmed it will be February 17, 2024 and we look forward to seeing you then.

OVERALL CHAMPIONS

RUNNER UP

THIRD PLACE

Courtesy of Lacey Waters McClenithan

Courtesy of Lacey Waters McClenithan

Courtesy of Lacey Waters McClenithan

Recipes

Courtesy of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Chef Justin

Florida Shrimp Boil with Sweet Corn and New Potatoes

Ingredients q q

1 ½ pounds large Florida shrimp (peeled and deveined, if desired)

5 ears Florida sweet corn, husked and cut in half

1 large Florida tomato, diced small

1 pound Florida potatoes (peeled, if desired)

1 pound cooked smoked sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 cup seafood boil seasoning mix

3 lemons, cut into wedges

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped fine

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Florida Strawberry Smoothie

Ingredients q q

2 cups fresh Florida strawberries

1 cup low-fat milk

DIRECTIONS

2 cups vanilla frozen low-fat yogurt

8 ice cubes

Wash and hull strawberries. Place strawberries in a blender with half of milk. Make sure lid is on tight. Blend on high speed until smooth. Add frozen yogurt, remaining milk and ice cubes and continue to blend until smooth and creamy. Serve immediately. Pour any leftovers into an ice cube tray and freeze for later use.

Timineri

DIRECTIONS

Preheat a large pot over medium-high heat. Fill with water until about 2/3 full and add 3/4 cup seafood seasoning. Add sausage and potatoes, bring to a slight boil and cook for 8-10 minutes. Next add corn and simmer for 5 minutes. Lastly add shrimp and simmer for 3-4 minutes, or until cooked through. Drain the liquid and pour shrimp boil onto a large platter. Lightly season with the remaining seafood seasoning and drizzle with olive oil. Garnish the shrimp boil platter with the diced tomato and parsley. Serve with lemon wedges, melted butter and hot sauce, if desired.

Plant City Lake Preserve, Plant City, FL 68± Acres

Spectacular 68+ acres featuring a serene 16-acre pond in the center, surrounded by lush upland pasture, and oak hammocks. This property has over 2,600 feet of frontage on McIntosh Road and 564 feet on Ike Smith Road, an allowing for significant potential. Less than a minute to Highway 301, providing easy access to I-75 and I-4 and just 30 minutes to Tampa International Airport.

Sale Price: $2,750,000

12620 Amber Lane, Lithia, FL 43.63± Acres

This premier river retreat is your rare opportunity to own a slice of rural Florida paradise with 900 feet of winding river frontage and nestled between a wildlife corridor. With 43 acres and land on both sides of the South Prong of the Alafia River, you’ll have your own private park at your fingertips!

Sale Price: $1,500,000

Spring Is Here

By Maggie Fussell

Each year we celebrate an occurance of holidays. Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas all crammed into the last three months of the year. After New Years we can relax and try to stick with our New Year’s Resolutions. About a month in we realize that our resolutions are realistic but difficult to maintain. Things settle down as we adjust to the new year and the changes it brings. The next holiday we celebrate is Easter. The Easter holiday is a time to honor the resurrection of Jesus and continue traditions.

In my family our Easter tradition is going to church, having dinner with family, helping hide eggs for the kids to hunt and creating a platter of colored eggs in bright spring colors. Easter is a time of thanksgiving, a time for family and a time for fun. When Easter arrives, it is a reminder to buy spring chicks to have more eggs to color for next Easter. There is an abundance of chicken breeds so it can be hard to choose which chicks you want to take home. Some of the best egg-laying hens include Leghorn, Rhode Island Red, Plymouth Rock and Australorps which can lay around 300 eggs per year.

Eggshell colors are different depending on the breed or genetics of a hen. Eggshell colors can be different shades of brown, white, green or blue. Rhode Island Red, Plymouth Rock and Australorps hens lay light brown eggs. Welsummer hens lay dark brown eggs with speckles. Leghorns lay white eggs. Araucanas and Ameraucanas hens lay blue eggs. Olive Egger or Easter Egger hens lay green eggs.

Before getting chicks, it is important to understand how to care for them and the materials needed for their care. After purchasing your chicks, they need to be placed in a warm enclosure with feed, water, and a heat lamp. Through observation and care the chicks will grow and begin laying eggs when they are 18 weeks old.

As you prepare for this next holiday do some research and consider buying some chicks this spring. If you purchase a variety of hens including Easter Eggers, you can get your colored eggs from the hen house next Easter Sunday.

NEWS BRIEFS

Compiled by Jim Frankowiak

AFBF Looking for Ag Innovation Challenge Applications

The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), in partnership with Farm Credit, is seeking entrepreneurs to apply online for the 2004 Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge. This national business competition showcases U.S. startup companies developing innovative solutions to challenges faced by America’s farmers, ranchers and rural communities. Applications are open through May 12. Each of the 10 semifinalists will be awarded $10,000 and a chance to compete to advance to the final round where four teams will receive an additional $5,000 each and the overall winner takes home $50,000. Application information is available at: fb.org/challenge.

March Blooms at the Plant City Commons Community Garden

Visitors are invited to the Botanical Treasure Gardens of the Plant City Commons Community Garden to view the wide range of March blooms, both in color and variety. The Garden is located at 2001 East Cherry Street in Plant City. For more information, visit: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Plant CityCommons/. Admission is free.

USDA Announces Grants for Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is making available up to $7.5 million for grants through its Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (OUAIP).

The competitive Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Grants will support the development of urban agriculture and innovative production projects through two categories, Planning Projects and Implementation Projects. USDA will accept applications on Grants.gov until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on March 27, 2023.

OUAIP is led by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and works in partnership with numerous USDA agencies that support urban agriculture and innovative production. The grants are part of a broad USDA investment in urban agriculture.

Planning Projects initiate or expand efforts of farmers, gardeners, citizens, government officials, schools and other stakeholders in urban areas and suburbs. Projects may target areas of food access, education, business and start-up costs for new farmers and the development of plans related to zoning and other needs of urban production.

Implementation Projects accelerate existing and emerging models of urban, indoor and other agricultural practices that serve farmers and communities. Projects may improve local food access; include collaboration with partner organizations, and support infrastructure needs, emerging technologies, and educational endeavors. For more information, visit: USDA.gov. Governor Appoints Tampa Attorney to District Board

Governor Ron DeSantis has appointed Tampa attorney Robert Stern to the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board. Stern, who will represent Hillsborough County on the District Board, is a partner and attorney with Trenam Law. His appointment is subject to Florida Senate confirmation.

Florida Federal Lawmakers Introduce Legislation to Protect Seasonal Growers

Florida Congressional Representatives Vern Buchanan and Darren Soto have introduced bi-partisan legislation to help the state’s fruit and vegetable growers combat Mexico’s unfair trade practices. U.S. Senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott have introduced similar legislation in the U.S. Senate. Under current federal law, only year-round producers who can demonstrate a nationwide impact of unfair trade practices can seek relief from the U. S. Department of Commerce and the U. S. International Trade Commission. The pending legislation would enable season fruit and vegetable growers the ability to petition the federal government for relief from unfair trade practices.

Community Garden Sets April 15 for Earth Day Festival

The Plant City Community Garden has set April 15 for its Earth, Wind and Garden Earth Day Festival from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event, which will be held at the garden, 2001 East Cherry Street in Plant City, will include activities for all ages, including children, such as a plant sale, educational workshops, food trucks, music, entertainment, garden tours and more. This is a free event, open to the public. For more information visit the Garden’s FaceBook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ PlantCityCommons.

The Great Migration To Tallahassee

by John Dicks | Photo by iStock

It’s that time of year for the great migration in Florida.

Well, it’s not exactly as big nor exciting as some of those infamous animal migrations. You know, like the one in Africa where every year millions of wildebeests suddenly converge and travel together from Tanzania’s Serengeti Desert to the Masai Mara in Kenya, all while battling blazing heat and insatiable hunger of giant crocodiles trying to snatch them at river crossings.

Then again, it can be quite a journey as 40 Senators and 120 Representatives travel to Tallahassee for the 60 day session of our Florida Legislature.

Leave it for others to discuss possible new laws to be passed this year. Instead, let’s ponder the riveting question of “Why Tallahassee?”

It does, after all, pose for lots of people either a rather long drive, or strange flight connections trying to get there. That fact is not lost on many.

Seems like every few years a bill gets filed to move Florida’s capital to somewhere else. Usually it’s Orlando, or at least “central Florida,” that gets most of the attention as a probable place to seat state Government.

To no surprise, whenever such suggestion is made, lots of chatter begins to spread. It is said, for example, that moving would make it easier for commuting legislators since an award winning airport makes for easy, frequent, and reasonable cost flights.

Then there’s the massive transportation system (though constantly clogged) which makes for better mobility, and the impressive array of luxury hotels and accommodations which are available.

Regardless, and at least thus far, the arguments just never stick. Most observers suggest it’s simply because of the great cost involved. A new capitol building would need to be built, as would, too, a new Supreme Court building, and Governor’s Mansion, and all of those other offices housing the Departments, Divisions, and Commissions of state government.

It all makes sense, of course. At least economically so.

Personally, though, I think the real hidden reason for legislators refusing to move, is really rather plain and simple. It’s because springtime in Tallahassee is so doggone amazing and beautiful!

Really, you’ve got to see it if you never have. The azaleas and dogwoods act as if they are in concert with each other on the timing and crescendo of blossoming. One day you’ll be looking at lots of bulging new greenery everywhere; only to find the next morning an almost explosion of colors rippling with reds, and pinks, and whites, and purples.

It’s truly a sight to behold, though your eyes do sting and weep from the resulting release of massive amounts of pollen drifting everywhere and onto everything!

Granted, I am a bit biased in my assessment of “Springtime Tallahassee,” as its affectionately known in the capital. Spring Fever hit me hard during the three years I spent there at Florida State Law School. My grades were never as good in the spring as they were at other times. Still, my favorite memories of those years all are centered around spring.

Certainly I can’t be alone in that assessment, which is, no doubt, why the capital remains right where it is and always has been, from the beginning nearly 200 years ago.

It was in 1824 that Tallahassee was chosen. As legend has it, the small little town was selected as a geographic compromise, approximately equal in distance from the two main population centers of Florida.

It’s not hard to imagine when you consider that 200 years ago, Florida was essentially nothing but the two prominent cities of St. Augustine on the Atlantic and Pensacola on the Gulf. South of that (at least in the minds of many) was nothing more than swamp land and Miami Beach condos!

Ok, I’m kidding, but you get the point!

Regardless, commerce and all activities needing some form of government, meant there was constant movement back and forth, coast to coast, to and from Pensacola and St. Augustine. It only made sense to pick a place halfway in between to build as the capital.

So Tallahassee it was, and likely always will continue, as it should, be our Florida’s capital.

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.

By Grady Judd, Polk County Sheriff

MAKING A MARK FOR SAFETY

You may not know this, but Polk County is larger than the states of Rhode Island and Delaware – over 2,010 square miles. And it’s our job to make sure that everyone living within our very large county has the peace of mind in knowing that if they need help, help is on the way – immediately - from the moment they dial 911.

There are a lot of rural residential homes in our county, and of course we use the latest technology to be able to pinpoint exact addresses and locations when we are racing to a call for service. But I have always believed that one should not rely on technology alone – especially not when seconds matter. This is why we have a free program for those who are interested in having a good old-fashioned reflective road marker with their address placed on the roadway of the property. We want emergency responders to have a well-marked address for every home in the area in case of an emergency.

We’re providing FREE reflective road markers for anyone who does not already have one. All you have to do is email our Crime Prevention Unit and give us your information, and we’ll deliver and install a sign on your property. We ask that only those who are eligible participate in this program:

• The property must be residential, and rural

• The property must not already have a well-marked address sign in place (duplicate markers can be confusing)

• There is a suitable location where the sign can be installed, and the owner agrees for it to be placed by us.

The markers are made of high quality, rigid composite/ plastic material and are dark green in color. The marker will be driven into the ground by PCSO agency members in an area where it is easily visible from the road’s edge. It will have 4” reflective numbers attached to both sides, so that first responders will be able to see the street address from both directions.

We encourage you to reach out to us if you’re interested in having a marker placed on your property. And please, tell your friends, neighbors, and relatives who live in rural areas. If you have any questions, call our Crime Prevention Unit at 863-298-6677 or email crimeprevention@polksheriff.org.

A Closer Look

Naturally Amazing Activities

Leaf Skeleton

Since our featured insect this month looks like a leaf, we thought it would be cool to do a leaf project. Leaf skeletons can be used in several crafts. They can be added to the epoxy mold project we recently featured or framed against an illustration or alone. Leaf skeletons can be colored with food dye, varnished onto wood, or stone and even be added to a clear candle holder. The possibilities are vast. There are several ways to create a leaf skeleton, most of which take a good deal of time (weeks) before you have completed the leaf. I typically do not have weeks for projects so I did a little research and found a method that I really like and would like to share with you. It starts with finding a good leaf to use. Every source I have found suggests using thick waxy leaves such as Magnolia, Gardenia, and Hydrangea or the sturdy leaves of Oak and Maple.

Materials:

Leaves

Water

Large Pot

Washing Soda

Bleach (optional)

Food Dye (optional)

Tongs

Terry Towel

by Sean Green

Production:

• In pot, mix about 1 part washing soda to 4 parts water

• Bring the mixture to a gentle boil

• Lower the heat to simmer and add the leaves

• Simmer 2-3 hrs (leaf cells should be soft enough to rub off … just as a test, don’t rub them off yet.)

• Pour the murky water out and fill with just enough clean water to cover the leaves

• Add bleach (if desired) to speed the process up Note: bleach will weaken the leaf veins if used for too long

• Allow bleach to remove the leaf color (30 – 60 minutes)

• Gently remove the skin of the leaf by either brushing with a soft brush or carefully rinsing under running water.

• It helps to support the leaf in your hand to help prevent it from tearing while removing the skin

• Coloring (optional): Fill a shallow dish with water and food coloring.

• Let the leaf soak in the food dye mixture until the veins absorb the desired tone.

• Gently remove the leaf from the dye mixture with tongs

• Place the leaf on a terry cloth towel for complete drying (the leaf skeleton should be stiff.)

Once your leaf is dry, it can be used as a component for other crafts as mentioned above or a work of art itself.

A Closer Look by Sean Green

Giant Katydid (Stilpnochlora couloniana)

The sounds of Spring are approaching. Soon our nights will be filled with a chorus of wildlife that is characteristic of the Deep South. Kicking it off is a large insect commonly known as the Giant Katydid. This insect is the largest katydid in the United States measuring over 2 ½ inches with wings at rest. The Giant Katydid (Stilpnochlora couloniana) is more closely related to crickets than grasshoppers and is a member of the genus phaneropterine (false katydids). This month we will take a closer look at the Giant Katydid, a somewhat rare treat found only in the Isle of Pines in Cuba and as far north as Gainesville in Florida (Entomological News, Mar 2017).

This species was first described by George Marcgraf from a Brazilian specimen in 1648. Most species are found in the tropical neotropics, which roughly begins just south of Bradenton and extends through south Florida and into the Caribbean islands of Cuba, Grenada, Trinidad, and Jamaica. The Giant Katydid is the one species that can be found in the Nearctic region of Florida as far north as Gainesville. Illustrations as early as 1725 (Sloane) and 1800 (Shaw) indicate that it was first known as the Bay Leaf Locust.

We know of over 250 species of katydid in North America, nearly half of which are in the Tettigoniinae (shieldbacks) family and among the shieldbacks, there are 15 species of Stilpnochlora, but none as large as the Giant Katydid (Stilpnochlora couloniana). This insect, though imposing, is harmless to human beings; in fact, it has become a popular pet and classroom addition. One of the fascinating characteristics of this insect is its ability to avoid becoming food for potential predators by fooling them. In evolutionary biology, some species evolve to resemble (mimic) another organism or object. The Giant Katydid mimics spiders in its earliest stages of life (instars) and when finally becoming an adult, the Giant Katydid looks like a large leaf.

Katydids are active at night; during the day they rest high up in the crowns of host trees such as oak, bramble, or hazel but can occasionally be found foraging in shrubs of hypericum, butterfly bush (Buddleja), apple, rose and hawthorn. Beginning at dusk and continuing to the morning, males create their

songs by stimulation (friction). Their wings have a scraper and file that when rubbed together create various tones for their song, like scraping a stick across a washboard. Their threesyllable song sounds like” kay-ti-did” and is responsible for their common name. Typically, all the males in the area will synchronize their song in ranges from 3 kHz to over 20 kHz. The collective songs of these insects can get loud enough to drown out most other sounds. You will hear these nocturnal insects long before you see them and can easily differentiate them from grasshoppers by their song alone. When you do see one however, the long antennae are a dead giveaway that they are not grasshoppers. Katydid have antennae that are as long or longer than their body, grasshoppers have short antennae.

The giant katydid is among the largest of all insects and are often kept as pets. There are some species of katydid that are carnivorous and vicious predators, those that are carnivores can be recognized the by the spikes on their legs which are used for capturing prey. The Giant Katydid, however, is a strict herbivore feeding only on a variety of trees and shrubs and is quite harmless to human beings. It’s no surprise that this insect has become a popular pet and is sometimes kept in the classroom for students to observe.

The average lifespan of the giant katydid is about one year from birth through adult. In our tropical Florida environment this species is capable of producing offspring twice a year. These insects are easy to rear and will breed readily so long as they are kept in a habitat of about 10 square inches per insect. The humidity will have to be kept high to mimic a tropical environment if they are kept indoors with air-conditioning. They will need fresh leaf cuttings every day for food and a rough substrate, preferably bark from one of its host trees on which the females can lay eggs. Keep in mind, these insects are excellent jumpers, you will need a lid on its habitat, especially if there are other animals, or potential predators that could become problematic if the katydid jumped out of the enclosure. These insects will become more abundant beginning this month. We hope you have a chance to take a closer look this month.

UF/IFAS ENTOMOLOGIST LISTS TOP EIGHT INVASIVE PECIES THAT INVADE HOUSEHOLDS AND EMPTY WALLETS

by Lourdes

The list of Florida’s invasive species goes beyond reptiles and plants. Many insects and rodents we consider household pests are also invasive species.

These insects and rodents that invade households cost U.S. homeowners billions of dollars in damages and thousands of dollars a year in pest control products and services. Once invasive species establish, they become persistent and expensive problems – invasive insects and rodents are no exception.

“Invasive pests like roof rats, Norway rats, house mice, house sparrows and European starlings possess traits that have allowed them to coexist with humans over the last thousand to tens of thousands of years,” said William Kern, an associate professor in the department of entomology and nematology at UF/IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center (UF/IFAS FLREC).

The indoor environment is not conducive to most native Florida insects, he said. “It is too dry for them,” he explains. “However, invasive species can tolerate these dry conditions and become household pests.”

Kern describes eight of the more voracious offenders, where to find them and how to keep them from taking a bite out of your household budget.

Termites:

West Indian Drywood termites (WIDT)

This drywood termite originated in the Atacama Desert of western Chile and then spread widely by ships throughout the Caribbean and beyond. It is currently found throughout Florida, although more commonly near the coasts.

“Like all drywood termites, the species produces hard fecal pellets and not powdery frass like beetles. Pellets are the most common evidence of an infestation during the non-swarming season,” said Kern.

Florida has 60,000-70,000 fumigations performed each year, and an estimated 98% of those fumigations are for drywood termites. With an average cost of $2,000 per fumigation, Floridians spend an estimated $91 million to fumigate structures for WIDT every year, said Kern.

While treatment options vary, FLREC entomologists suggest visual inspections as a proactive approach.

Formosan Subterranean termites:  Florida has two invasive subterranean termites from East Asia: the more temperate Formosan subterranean termite and the more tropical Asian subterranean termite. Both are aggressive foragers and very destructive. They have large colonies and consume a lot of wood in a short period of time.

Thomas Chouvenc, assistant professor of urban entomology at UF/IFAS FLREC, estimates that Formosan Subterranean termites cost Floridians $500 million to $1 billion each year. According to the National Pest Management Association, the national average repair cost for termite damages is around $2,500. In areas of established Formosan termite populations, like the Southeast, the average is much higher at $7,500. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services estimates the aver-

Mederos

william Kern at UF/IFAS FLREC

age cost of repair to a single-family home from Formosan Subterranean termites is about $10,000, with severe damage scenarios costing $40,000 to $60,000.

There are numerous ways to proactively reduce the risk of a household infestation by Formosan and other subterranean termites that include carefully inspecting wooden items for termites before buying them and bringing them onto your property, and removing wooden items such as planters, tubs, trellises and firewood in bare ground and near your home.

Asian Subterranean termites:

This is the tropical relative of the Formosan subterranean termite. It originated in Southeast Asia and is widespread in the Caribbean, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and was first identified in Florida in 1996.  Its rapid spread in southeast Florida and its aggressive foraging makes it a greater threat to tropical and subtropical Florida than the Formosan. It is currently limited to Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties, where resident spend $25 to $50 million per year on prevention, control, and repairs related to the termite.

Roof Rats:

In Florida, the roof rat is the primary suburban pest rat, though it often goes unnoticed. The species first made its way to the Americas in the 1600s on the ships of colonists. Roof rats can spread rat lung worm, leptospirosis, salmonella and murine typhus. They consume and destroy stored animal and human food, attack fruit crops, and take up residence in attics, soffits, hollow walls and outdoor buildings. When they invade buildings, they chew through wires that can potentially start fires, gnaw through plastic and lead water pipes, make holes in walls and cause other structural damage.

Also called the black rat, citrus rat, fruit rat, palm rat, and ship rat, roof rats originated in southern Asia and were transported by people wherever traders went.

Rodent control may require minor structural changes to prevent entry through small openings, added sanitation measures, use of traps and more.

Norway Rats:

Known as the brown rat, sewer rat or the subway rat, they are the dominant urban, suburban and rural rat in most of Europe and North America. They seemed to have reached North America in between 1860-1880 and are most commonly found along coasts and canals. They thrive particularly in areas where garbage is not stored properly. In Florida, Norway rats are generally found in urban centers and agricultural areas.

“Norway rats are not reservoirs or sources major plagues, but they can be a source of murine or endemic typhus (Rickettsia typhi). They can also be a source of the Seoul hantavirus, leptospirosis, rat bite fever and salmonella,” said Kern.

House mice: This rodent occasionally invades structures in wooded areas in the fall and can be easily identified by their white belly and the white underside of their tail. House mice damage to household food and materials is one source of expense, but the damage caused by gnawed wires and cables are in fact a greater cost to property owners. House mice are the reservoir for rickettsia pox and leptospirosis.

German cockroaches: Sometimes referred to as croton bugs, German cockroaches are not native to North America and never occur outside of man-made structures, said Kern. They are thought to have originated in dry caves in southwest Asia and began living with people while they still lived in those caves.

If you see a similar cockroach living outside, it is another invasive species known as the Asian cockroach, which cannot survive indoors.

“It is the most serious structure invading cockroach of apartment buildings, condominiums, dormitories, restaurants, grocery stores, hotels and motels, and single-family homes,” said Kern. “They are always brought into structures by people in boxes or even backpacks and purses, from previously infested residences.”

“Most people are unaware that the German cockroach is not originally from Germany, but the first specimen to reach the famous naturalist Carl von Linn likely, was collected in Germany after its invasion into Europe,” said Kern. Pest control for invasive species of cockroaches requires an integrated pest management (IPM) approach. Chemical use alone is the least effective control method. Using chemicals alone can result in insecticide resistance and, ultimately, very poor control.

American cockroaches:

These are the large cockroaches that many people erroneously call “palmetto bugs” and one of several large invasive cockroaches that occur in Florida and are found both indoors and outdoors.

All originated in Africa, and they include the American, Brown, Australian ad Smokey Brown cockroaches. These moisture-loving species usually live in sewers and septic systems and invade structures by coming up through unscreened drains, including sink and tub overflow drains. Most infestations are limited and controlled by appropriate baits. Severe infestations can result from broken drainpipes or plumbing renovations that were left uncapped inside walls voids.

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All wood kitchen cabinets. All wood vanities. Custom made to your size. Call Chris 813-752-3378

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Many colors and styles to choose from. Ask for Ted. 813-752-3378

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Everything you need under ONE roof! Call Blake 813-752-3378 NEW, USED & ABUSED.

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Polk County Cattle Women

As our calendars are filling up, so are our noses with this wonderful springtime pollen. It is quite possibly my favorite time of year, minus this pollen that is as thick as fog some days.

Polk County CattleWomen have been hard at work this month with everything from concession stands to passing out beef samples. February 18, 2023 will be a day to remember for PCCW as the busiest concession stand we have ever seen! I’m sure lots of you reading this right now were either there or heard about that day. It was a wonderful turnout for Polk County CattleWomen and Cattlemen.

Many members of PCCW attended the Florida State Fair this year to pass out beef samples at the Florida CattleWomen’s booth in the Ag Hall of Fame building. We got to teach the public/consumers about Florida’s cattle and beef industries, answer many questions, and even squash some misconceptions about these industries.

Be on the lookout for PCCW members volunteering for AgFest in Bartow and on March 23rd and 24th at the Central Florida Youth in Ag concession stand. We will also be in Kenansville for the FCW Beef Short course on March 25th.

The PCCW annual academic scholarship is now available! Applications can be found online at the Polk County Youth Fair’s website at www.pcyf.net. All high school seniors are welcome and encouraged to apply!

A HUGE congratulations to Marissa Dawes for being named our 2023-2024 Imperial Polk County Cattlemen’s Association Sweetheart! We look forward to supporting Marissa as she competes for the Florida Cattlemen’s Sweetheart title in June at the 2023 FCA Convention & Trade Show. Good luck Marissa!

Feel free to join our meetings every first Tuesday of the month, I would be thrilled to see your smiling face, or if you don’t like to smile, I’ll still be happy to see you. Our next meeting will be April 4th, 2023, at 6:30 PM in the Valencia room at the Polk County UF/IFAS Extension office. If you have any questions or concerns, you can contact me at blairbuchanon@gmail.com

Blair

Buchanon

blairbuchanon@gmail.com

Polk County Cattlewomen President