In The Field magazine Polk edition

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CONTENTS

PAGE 10

From The Scientific Field

PAGE 12

Thoughts from the Heifer

pen

PAGE 14

Fishing Hot Spots

PAGE 16

Endangered Species

PAGE 18

Equine rescue

PAGE 22

Rocking Chair Chatter

PAGE 24 Easter

PAGE 25

Scallions

P.O.

President – Dr. Lujean Waters 8750 Shreck Rd Bartow, FL 33830 (863) 537-1495

Lujean.waters@gmail.com

Vice President – Ken Sherrouse 13475 Moore Rd Lakeland, FL 33809-9755 (863) 698-1834

kensherrouse@yahoo.com

Secretary/Treasurer - Justin Bunch PO Box 849 Highland City, FL 33846-0849 (863) 425-112

Justin.bunch@nutrien.com

PAGE 32

Garden Club

PAGE 35

News Briefs

PAGE 36

John Dicks

PAGE 38

Sunshine Farms

PAGE 40

Recipes

PAGE 42

Activity

PAGE 43 A Closer Look

PAGE 44

PCSO

Hey

State Director – Orrin Webb PO Box 202 Bartow, FL 33831 (863) 634-6029

owebb@wandwsupply.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

Kevin Fussell 5125 Fussell Rd Polk City, FL 33868 (863) 412-5876 drfussellranch@gmail.com

Wes Fussell 5010 Barush Rd Bartow, FL 33830 (863) 838-1594 g.wesfussell@gmail.com

Det. Jay Scarborough 1575 Mountt Pisgah Rd Fort Meade, FL 33841 (863) 860-7731

Jayscarborough5581@outlook. 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- Scott Shoupe

Trade Show- Bridget Stice

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

Website – Blair Buchanon

Cattlewomen – President, Blair 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

Letter from the Editor

As I’m writing this the 2024 Florida Strawberry Festival is heading into its last weekend. It has been a successful run so far and I’m sure it will continue to be so through the final few days. I hope you had a chance to attend and see all the Festival has to offer.

Florida Commissioner of Agriculture, Wilton Simpson, applauded the Florida Legislature for the passing of SB 1084, which supports Florida agriculture and Florida’s farmers, ranchers, and growers.

“Food security is national security, and we all have a responsibility to ensure Floridians have access to a safe, affordable, and abundant food supply. This legislation is a reflection of our continued commitment to supporting and protecting Florida’s farmers, ranchers, and growers and enhancing consumer protection and transparency,” Commissioner Wilton Simpson said. “Thanks to the leadership of Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, House Speaker Paul Renner, Senator Jay Collins, and Representative Danny Alvarez, Florida is supporting our future farmers’ 4-H and FFA activities, prohibiting the sale of labgrown meat, and expanding safeguards for agricultural producers and consumers – ultimately creating a stronger, safer, and more prosperous Florida.” The legislation introduces several proposals including but not limited to:

• Protecting Florida’s food and fiber production by providing criminal penalties for trespassing on commercial agricultural property with the intent to commit a crime.

• Requiring Florida school districts to recognize 4-H and FFA-related activities as excused absences.

• Protecting Florida consumers by prohibiting the manufacture for sale of labgrown meat in Florida.

Please remember when shopping for yourself or your family, purchase Fresh From Florida products. Your food will be the freshest available and you will be supporting your local farmer and rancher.

Until Next Month

Sarah Holt

March is starting off strong this year with good amounts of much-needed rainfall, although we were praying it would hold off for our Annual Ranch Rodeo and Trade Show. The Lord blessed us by allowing us an extremely successful and dry day for our annual event and held off the rain until the rodeo concluded! Once again, this year we had a fantastic event, our trade show was well attended considering the predicted weather conditions, and we also had our Second Annual Whip Popping! Congrats to our Champions!

Junior Champion McKenna Dean

Junior Reserve Champion Easton Smith

Int Champion Colton Blankenship

Int Reserve Champion Jonah Cate

Sr Champion Jayden Cate

Sr Reserve Clay Fussell

Our Ranch Rodeo was as excited as ever! We had teams from all over central Florida compete for the coveted title of Ranch Rodeo Champion! Congrats to M&D Overstreet Ranch on their much-deserved win!

We also had our Silver Sorting event where Charlie Johnson, Mario Tarango and Andy Duff smoked the competition!

Our association had the distinct honor of remembering one of our own at the start of the Rodeo with a Riderless Horse Tribute to our beloved Kerry Hammock, ride high in that saddle our dear friend.

Thank you to all our sponsors of the Rodeo and Trade Show, without you this event would not be possible!

Also, a big congratulations to our New 2024 Sweetheart! Congrats Bailey Lightsey!

Dr. LuJean Waters

Dr. LuJean Waters

Heartland Large Animal Services

FROM THE SCIENTIFIC FIELD

Preparing 4-H youth members to become productive citizens through life skills

Florida 4-H prioritizes the development of communication, higher-order thinking, and appreciation of differences as essential workforce skills. Hillsborough 4-H provides a range of opportunities for young people to develop communication skills and gain confidence in expressing themselves. For instance, County Events Day is an excellent opportunity go members to learn how to articulate their ideas clearly and confidently. How you may ask?

To get started, you can brainstorm by jotting down things you lose track of time doing, which we refer to as your “spark” in 4-H.

Now circle three that excite you the most. Divide a piece of paper in three sections and place those circled topics at the top of each column. Write down all the things you could teach someone about each topic. Which one topic stands out?

From that list, pick the one thing to teach or discuss. Congratulations you now have a topic for your presentation. Break the topic into three main ideas and write a paragraph for each.

Now focus on the short hook. You can start with a story, a relevant quote, or an attention-getting fact to get the audience excited for what is to come. After that, you should introduce yourself and explain why you chose this topic. Finally, you can present the three main ideas of your demo/talk. The conclusion should leave an impression. Start by recapping what the main ideas were and then leave them with something that you did not use in the hook such as a relevant quote, attention-getter fact, or question.

You now have a speech ready to go! It is now time to decide what props, slides, and posters, or you may decide you will do a traditional speech and not use any of these aides. If your topic is about making something, collect all the supplies needed to make it happen. Remember to cover all manufacture logos.

If you plan to use traditional poster boards, you can use stencils or sticker lettering large enough to be visible to the audience.

If you will be using software to create a presentation, limit your words on each slide. Only include relevant graphics. Refrain from using distracting movement on the slides. Remember this is an aide to help you give the presentation, not the presentation itself.

By Amber Norris

Now it’s time to practice, practice, practice!! It is recommended that you practice in front of many different people. Start with you and a mirror, then a trusted adult or member. Consider recording yourself and evaluating yourself. Be sure to watch it without sound as well to see if there are any visual distractions.

If you are using notecards, reading from note cards can hinder eye contact and audience engagement. Instead, use them to help you remember key points.

Congratulations on conquering your fear of public speaking! It’s a great accomplishment that not everyone can achieve. You should be proud of yourself for taking the initiative to overcome your fear and improve your public speaking skills. Keep up the good work!

If you would like to join our 4-H youth members participating in educational programs and demonstrate the life skills of communication of knowledge gained in the program, call Amber Norris, Hillsborough County 4-H Extension Agent at 813-755-4419 x54116.

THOUGHTS FROM THE HEIFER PEN

There are somethings that being raised on a ranch has ingrained in me that are beyond my control. I have a slight panic attack when I see a gate open, even if I am far from home going down the road. Sometimes when I am staying with family in the city, I will get nervous when I hear a truck at night, but then I remember that there is such a thing as traffic. And when I hear a truck that sounds like my dad, even if I am at my own town job, I still get nervous that I forgot to do something I was supposed to before he got home. And when it starts to rain, I always have to do a mental check that no tools or hay are out or that there is laundry on the line.

Of all the little signals that trigger a ranch kid’s response in a non-ranch situation, a rainy day has to be the biggest one. Rainy days mean a lot of things to ranchers, and the first rainy day of the spring starts with the relief of the rain that we so badly need. After an hour of watching it rain, the comments of worry start; worry that we are getting too much rain, or that such and such pasture is going to get too boggy to go out in when we need to work cows next week. Then the restlessness starts and the pacing from the couch to the front door, to the back door, to the bedroom, and back to the front door begins. After enough pacing to wear a cow trail in the carpet and some concerned glances from mama, as she reads her book, the suggestion for a shopping trip is usually made. This is of course exactly what the ranch kids have been patiently waiting for since they came in from their chores that morning soaking wet. (About the second round of pacing is when you should start doing your hair.)

Usually, this rainy-day outing is justified by a certain ranching item that is needed from a store that is not in the usual route or the fact that the ranch kids are outgrowing their jeans and boots. Most of the time this is just a cover so that it still feels like ranching is getting done on a day when there is no way ranching is going to get done. Of course, this trip is an exploratory excursion and not an in-and-out mission, and all the wares in the farm and ranch supply store must be thoroughly

By Marisol Tarango

examined by the whole family. After the necessary purchase and maybe some unknown, but now necessary purchases, the ranching family loads up in the car. But since the long trip to a larger town has been made, it would be wasteful to not make a couple of stops. Sometimes it’s bowling or the movies, the random health food store, and maybe a bookstore if the rancher’s daughter has anything to do with it. And then finally, since everyone is starving the ranch family ends up at a diner before going home to feed.

Not all rainy days mean a special trip to town. When the summer rains start and it rains all day at least once a week, rainy days mean a day spent in the house reading, watching movies, or working on projects. No hard work is being done that day, but even if there is no special trip to town, it’s still a nice day. It’s not every day on the ranch that you can have a movie marathon and board game tournament. (Bored ranch kids take board games to the extreme and gain great debating skills when the rulebooks get pulled out.) And after a while hot chocolate and brownies are usually made.

When a homeschooled ranch kid gets an indoor job in town, it’s a bit of an adjustment that you don’t get rained out, even after a couple of years. When waking up to rain meant that you could snuggle back into the covers and listen to God bless the earth, it may take a little self-pep talk to get going in the morning. Of course, some traditions cannot be broken, there is still the occasional walk to the window to watch it rain. The comment to a co-worker that it’s just pouring outside and hopefully it stops before it’s time to go home. And of course, there is the random urge to go hat and boot shopping, even if they just bought boots the other day. In all of this, there is the realization that actual work must be done because computers don’t need sunshine to work, and the hallways will not get too boggy to get down. You can take the kid off the ranch, but you can’t take the ranch out of the kid.

Springtime is Slam Time!

Capt. Wade Osborne

If you’ve never achieved an “Inshore Slam” now is the time!

Every year when spring rolls around, the grass flats throughout Tampa Bay come alive. As baitfish start moving onto the flats, snook, redfish and seatrout follow. When this occurs, it’s the easiest time to achieve an inshore slam. If you don’t know what that is, it’s when you catch slot-size (or over) snook, redfish and seatrout on the same outing.

Now many of you may think that should be easy. Well, it’s easier said than done for some people. You’d be surprised how many people have been fishing with me that have never caught a slam. Occasionally, I meet a few anglers who have lived in the Tampa Bay area and fished all their life, but the slam eludes them.

To get the action going, toss out a few live scaled sardines and wait for the snook to respond by attacking the freebies. Once they start feeding, cast a hooked live sardine to the same spot for an instant hook up. If you get lucky, you’ll be able to catch numerous snook in the same spot and also land one over 28 inches. If you do catch a big one at your first spot, move down the shoreline a hundred yards or so and try again.

If you’re fishing during an incoming tide and it’s reaching its peak, move on to redfish.

Redfish like to feed on crustaceans around oyster beds and barnacle encrusted mangrove roots during a high tide. Find a spot with both and you’ve found a redfish goldmine. Redfish also like to travel with mullet. The reason: mullet flush baitfish and crustaceans out of the grass as they feed. Anytime I spot a school of mullet I get out in front of them and Power Pole down.

If an inshore slam is something you would like to pursue, you might assume that catching a slot-size seatrout would be the easiest and save that for last. Not necessarily, at times it can be the most difficult to land. That’s why many times, I’ll start out fishing around some sandy potholes on the grass flats trying to catch the seatrout first. If I have no success, I’ll move on snook and redfish and come back to seatrout to close the deal. While in pursuit, here’s where you should be looking for that snook and redfish.

With water temperatures back in the low 70s snook are moving out of the back bays, creeks, and rivers and seeking shelter along the mangrove shorelines and points. Snook feed best on a good tidal flow. Some days it may vary whether they prefer an incoming or outgoing. So, just make sure the current is moving.

In either scenario, always start by chumming with scaled sardines. After that, cast a bait out that’s suspended under a cork. Once the cork goes under, give the fish 2-3 seconds to eat the bait, then when you reel and get your line tight, lift your rod for a solid hook set.

Let’s say after a day on the water you caught all three inshore slam species, but they weren’t all big fish. You still achieved a slam, just not an official inshore slam. There’s always next time.

26-Year Veteran Fishing Guide, Captain Wade Osborne.

Tarpon and Spanish mackerel will be migrating to the Tampa Bay as we approach April.

Tarpon start showing up first around the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and the Port of Manatee. One of the best fishing technics to use around the bridge is Spot Lock or anchor your boat between the pilings and start a fresh cut bait slick. Once you have a slick established, start freelining hooked

live bait within the slick. If you’re fishing at the port, do more of a spot and stalk or just drift fish past the schools.

Spanish mackerel make their presence at the mouth of Tampa Bay and slowly end up all the way past the Countney Campbell Causeway. Early on you mainly catch them around the bridges, artificial reefs, and range markers. As time goes on, Spanish mackerel start moving onto the grass flats as they feed on baitfish. There have been times when I’ve caught them in as little as two feet of water.

Some people claim Spanish mackerel aren’t good table fare. Not true. The key to good fillets is to ice the fish down immediately and always cut the bloodline out when filleting.

Afishionado, “Always an Adventure.”

Tampa fishing guide Wade Osborne of “Afishionado Guide Services” has been plying the waters of Tampa Bay as a professional full-time captain, since 1997. Osborne has been featured on numerous TV and radio shows and writes for multiple publications. Osborne offers inshore fishing charters on light tackle spin, fly or plug. He also offers eco-tours with an emphasis on photography. For more info visit Afishionado.com or find Afishionado Guide Services on Facebook and Instagram. Email: wade@afishionado.com Call/Text 813-286-3474

GULF MOCCASINSHELL

The Gulf Moccasinshell, or Medionidus penicillatus as it’s known by its scientific name, is a small mussel that reaches a length of about 2.2 inches, is elongate-elliptical or rhomboidal and fairly inflated, and has relatively thin valves.

The ventral margin is nearly straight or slightly rounded. The posterior ridge is rounded to slightly angled and intersects the end of the shell at the base line. Females tend to have the posterior point above the ventral margin and are somewhat more inflated. Sculpturing consists of a series of thin, radially oriented folds along the length of the posterior slope. The remainder of the surface is smooth and yellowish to greenish brown with fine, typically interrupted green rays. The left valve has two stubby pseudo cardinal and two actuate lateral teeth. The right valve has one pseudo cardinal and one lateral tooth. Nacre color is smoky purple or greenish and slightly iridescent at the posterior end. The Gulf Moccasinshell utilizes the brown darter and black-banded darter as host fishes.

Modern taxonomy recognizes the nineteenth-century names Unio penicillatus and Unio kingi as synonyms of Medionidus penicillatus. The recent taxonomic history of Medionidus species in the Apalachicola Region is complex. Two species of Medionidus, the M. kingi and M. penicillatus were recorded in the Chipola River system in 1940.

In 1956, two scientists synonymized M. kingi and two other nominal species, the Ochlockonee moccasinshell and Suwannee moccasinshell under the Gulf moccasinshell, an arrangement also followed by another scientist in 1975.

It was inaccurately reported in 1970 that the Gulf moccasinshell and Suwannee moccasinshell from the ApalachicolaChattahoochee-Flint River system and the Suwannee moccasinshell from the Ochlockonee and Suwannee Rivers fit as well. It was not until 1977 that the Gulf Moccasinshell, Ochlockonee Moccasinshell, and Suwannee Moccasinshell from Apalachicola Region streams were recognized as valid and

By Libby Hopkins

distinct based on their shell characteristics. The validity of the three allopathically distributed Apalachicola Region Medionidus species is now generally accepted.

Adult Gulf Moccasinshell mussels are sedentary as adults. They siphon stream water and filter phytoplankton and organic detritus as food. The female mussels siphon water containing sperm from the water to fertilize their eggs. The eggs hatch into larvae that are parasitic on fish. The larvae later meta-morphs into sedentary adults.

The Gulf Moccasinshell mussel inhabits relatively stable reaches of sandy and gravelly substrates in medium-sized streams to large rivers, often in areas swept free of silt by the current.

Impoundments have altered about 29 percent of main-stem riverine habitat on the Flint River. Preimpoundment records from Seminole and Blackshear Reservoirs exist for two sites for the Gulf Moccasinshell.

Populations of the Gulf Moccasinshell have been isolated due to major impoundments on the Apalachicola, Flint, and Ochlockonee Rivers. Future impoundments to satisfy expanding urban and suburban demand, particularly in the metropolitan Atlanta area, could damage stream habitats where small populations of the Gulf Moccasinshell exist. Although muskrats are not common within the range of these species, Piedmont populations of the Gulf Moccasinshell in the upper Flint River system may be subject to some degree of muskrat predation. The Gulf Moccasinshell only survives in a few critical habitats, and its reproductive success appears to be quite limited. Its surviving areas of critical habitat must be protected from impoundment and other damages, such as pollution. Its known populations should be monitored and additional ones searched for. Research should be undertaken into its ecological needs, with a view to developing management practices to maintain and improve its habitat.

HOPE EQUINE RESCUE

SAVING AND REHABILITATING EQUINES

By Megan Atkinson Linda Clauss photography

There is something special about a place that can elicit inner peace in those who visit. A place that despite the chaos it sees on any given day fills both the residents and their caretakers with…hope. Many, both equine and human, find refuge at Hope Equine Rescue in Winter Haven. Hope was established in 2008, founded by Dani Horton and the Horton family when they took in their first rescue that they named “Hope.” However, the passion for horses started much earlier in Dani’s life. Dani was adopted by her grandparents as a child, both of whom worked in the horse industry. They bought her first horse, Spinner, at 13. Dani went on to win numerous awards, saddles, and buckles with her over the years. She met her now husband, Wayne, in high school and the two have grown their herd over the years. Dani continued training horses and giving lessons to her students, not really thinking about being more involved in the industry.

That all changed when she received a call about a horse that needed help. Dani and Wayne arrived in a neighborhood to find a horse tied to a tree with a dog chain and left to starve. The owner refused to give them the horse as she was seeking compensation. Dani reached out to local law enforcement to help; they were able to get the woman to agree to sign the horse over. They named her “Hope” and the rest just fell into place as other calls for help began pouring in. The couple decided to both make career shifts as they realized life was about to change. Dani found herself at an attorney’s office filing papers to start a nonprofit.

The Rescue operated out of their home for about 10 years; however, the facility had become too small for the size of the operation. In 2017, as Hurricane Irma began to approach, the facility had to be evacuated due to the aging barns and number of horses on site. It was simply too risky to ride out the storm in place. After the storm passed, Dani knew that they were going to need to permanently relocate if they wanted to continue to help more horses, but the cost to do that seemed insurmountable. A benevolent donor caught wind of this and made an offer to provide a state-of-the-art facility, in kind as long as the property was being used as a Rescue. Dani and Wayne prayed heavily about it before accepting.

They made the move to their current facility located at 3805 High Street NE in Winter Haven in 2018. The new property features three full-size barns for a total of 25 stalls, four large paddocks with shelters, an arena, and office space. Another fantastic feature is the property’s track system surrounding the outer perimeter. The track system provides the ability to move a horse anywhere on the property without ever having to touch them; a great asset when handling feral horses. Since the move, the size of Hope’s reach has grown tremendously, housing approximately 45 horses and donkeys on the property at any given time. While the goal is always adoption, there are some permanent residents that will live out their lives at our facility due to various special needs.

Horses and donkeys that are available for adoption leave with a lifetime contract, meaning that if life circumstances change the adopter can return the animal to the rescue. “We have a safety net for our horses. We never want a horse that ended up in our care and was rehabilitated to end up back in the system. Our adopters become part of the family, anytime they need support with training issues or have questions about care I want our team to be able to assist them.” Dani advised.

The organization is run solely by a dedicated team of volunteers to provide care for these animals. Volunteers work various shifts during the week to clean stalls, groom horses and assist in training the animals to provide them with skills to get them ready for adoption. While most volunteers start because they want to be around the horses, there are lots of other administrative tasks that Dani and the team can use to help with such as filing for grants, processing adoption applications, and cleaning donated items.

In addition to serving numerous equine friends, Hope offers a variety of programs for the community including volunteer opportunities for high school students, education seminars and training classes for horse enthusiasts, community outreach and fundraising events, and the Reading with the Rescues program. This program, held on the second Friday of each month during the school year, is for elementary-aged students to have an opportunity to come out to the barn and

read to one of the horses. Not only does this foster good reading skills for our youth, but it also helps the horses to build trust with humans in a non-threatening manner.

The Rescue will be hosting a “Horse 101” summer series for those thinking about getting a horse. “Horse 101 will be a 4-month series from June to September of educational clinics that will focus on new horse owners. We will be covering veterinarian care, farrier care, nutrition, tack fit, how to prepare for your first horse, basic horse handling skills, and more. It will be free for 4-H and FFA students. Participants will be able to work hands-on with our horses to learn basic horse handling skills and how to read body language.” Dani advised. Completion of the series will earn them a new horse owner survival kit with all kinds of supplies, a certificate of completion, and discounts on adoption fees and any future clinics.

Funding is always a concern for nonprofits. To maintain Hope’s operation there is a constant need for the cost of feed, hay, and veterinary care for these animals. The organization hosts several fundraisers throughout the year like Wine at the Barn and several tack sales. They are always looking for ideas on fundraising and ways to network with the surrounding community. When asked what the rescue’s biggest need is, Dani replied, “Funding for feed and hay is our largest need, it takes

a lot of money to provide high-quality forage and supplements to our horses.” Donations are tax-deductible and can be made via the website.

“We also have a Sponsorship Program. Individuals can sponsor a horse individually or sponsor the maintenance cost for one of our barns or pastures annually.” Dani said. There are benefits to the sponsors too, including advertisement to 15,000+ Facebook followers, physical signage in adopted location at the facility, advertising at our promotional events, tax incentives, and the satisfaction of knowing that you are contributing to the worthy cause of rehabilitating our abused and neglected equine friends.

If you are interested in adopting or becoming a sponsor or volunteering at Hope Equine Rescue visit their website hopeequinerescue.com to learn more. The event dates for this year are below:

• April 13 - Open House and Annual Tack Sale

• June 1, July 6, August 3, September 7 - Horse 101 Series

• October 26 – Trot or Treat

• November 16 – Wine at the Barn

• November 29 – Black Friday Tack Sale

• December 14 – Christmas at the Barn

The ancient Romans thought strawberries could cure bad breath and chronic fainting.

Madame Tallien, a prominent woman in Emperor Napoleon’s court, was famous for taking baths of fresh strawberry juice.

Brushing your teeth is important, but eating strawberries can actually help whiten your teeth. The acids in the fruit help to remove stains.

There is a legend that strawberries were named in the nineteenthcentury by English children who picked the fruit, strung them on grass straws and sold them as “Straws of berries.”

Swap your carrots for some fruity strawberries instead. Strawberries have a higher antioxidant value, helping prevent cataracts and other degenerative eye problems.

Strawberries contain high levels of nitrate. This has been shown to

“Mother Said”

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

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

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

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

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.

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.”

By Maggie Fussell

Rethinking Easter

In a few weeks, we will celebrate Easter. Stores will be selling weaved baskets full of sugary sweets, chocolate bunnies, and chick peeps in every color. On Easter Sunday you may dress up, go to church, sing songs, and listen to a sermon. In that one hour, you’re trying to keep the kids quiet as they impatiently wait to hunt Easter eggs, you’re thinking of lunch and you’re wondering if your dog found the baskets on your counter and spilled candy on the floor. But what does sugar and plastic eggs have to do with Easter? On Easter, I find myself thinking more about what I have to do after church than focusing on the service. Why is a full stomach and candy-filled plastic eggs more important than praising our savior? To thank Him for the sacrifice He made to give us the free will to choose salvation.

Easter is a time to trust and thank God, not worry. In Luke 12, Jesus says “Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothe the grass, which is today in the field, and tomorrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?” (Luke 12:2729, KJV). Have you seen an Easter lily? They are large

white lilies that bloom around Easter in April through July. The flowers are trumpet-shaped and hardy enough to make it through Florida’s weather. According to the University of California, the flower is referred to as ‘white-robed apostles of hope’ and it symbolizes the purity of Christ. The Easter lily is a symbol of purity and new life.

As it says in Luke 12, God takes care of a lily that blooms only four months out of the year. God is taking care of you 365 days of the year, 24 hours a day, and 7 days a week. God is right beside you every day of your life for your whole life. God is attentive to details because he cares, he forgives, he saves, and he loves. He is attentive to our growth, our life, and our salvation. This Easter I want to be more thankful for the greatness of God. To thank him for his amazing love that encompasses the details of a flower and the details of each person’s life.

Easter is a time to remember, worship, and praise Jesus for his salvation. This Easter, I challenge myself and you to take a step away from commercialism and focus on the true meaning of Easter.

UF/IFAS Ph.D. candidate to study the impact of citrus greening with renowned tree ring researcher

By Robin Koestoyo

Lukas Hallman is about to embark on an internship to investigate the vascular system of trees when they are affected by the world’s most severe citrus disease.

Hallman begins his final year of a Ph.D. program in horticultural sciences under the guidance of Lorenzo Rossi, assistant professor of plant root biology at the UF/IFAS Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC) in Fort Pierce.

“My goal is to measure tree ring width and detect shifts in wood anatomy within orange and grapefruit trees grown under the challenges of citrus greening,” said Hallman.

Citrus greening is present in most of Florida’s citrus groves and has reduced the state’s signature crop by 80% over the last 20 years, Rossi said.

“I will be working with trunk sections taken from 10-year-old trees. These observations will help us reconstruct how citrus trees coped with citrus greening from the day of planting to now."

Hallman will investigate both components of the tree’s vascular system, called xylem and phloem, for two months at the Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL in Zurich, Switzerland. During this time, Hallman will collaborate with Professor Paolo Cherubini, a senior scientist specializing in dendrosciences, the scientific study of tree rings. Cherubini is a renowned scientist and a recipient of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for his role as an invited expert reviewer contributing to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fourth Assessment Report.

“International collaboration is one way scientists can address tree stress physiology under different ecosystems,” said Rossi, who once worked alongside Cherubini to investigate wood anatomical adjustments of olive trees subjected to various water availability levels.

“Our proposal for Hallman’s study aims to unveil changes in wood structure as a part of the citrus tree’s response to citrus greening. Clogged citrus tree vascular systems prevent the trees from absorbing the necessary nutrients for the citrus trees to grow and produce high-quality fruit,” said Rossi.

The IRREC is central to the world’s famous grapefruit production region. Since shortly after the start of the 21st century,

the region has seen a steep decline in its prized grapefruit crop as citrus greening spread rapidly throughout the state. Hallman said the phloem is the specific sieve inside citrus trees that clogs with a callous material in response to infection by the bacterium that causes citrus greening disease. Hallman’s research plan is to investigate and understand phloem and xylem anatomy and tree ring formation to measure citrus physiological responses to stress. The scientists will conduct the work on grapefruit and sweet oranges grown in the Indian River Citrus District over the past ten years.

“We need more information about the influence of the bacterium on phloem structure and tree and root physiology,” Hallman said. “My work has been mostly with nutrient application methods to improve the root health of affected trees. I will access highly specialized equipment in Zurich at Cherubini’s laboratory and explore vascular systems in trunks and roots of citrus greening-affected grapefruit and sweet orange trees.”

Hallman said he and Cherubini will reconstruct the physiological history of the trees in response to citrus greening through dendrochronological and wood anatomical techniques. In addition, the researchers will measure how the trees use carbon and oxygen in response to citrus greening over the years, said Rossi.

“Understanding linkages between phloem alterations and their relationship to carbon and oxygen utilization will allow us to identify the best water and nutrient application methods and provide more insight about how citrus trees are affected by citrus greening to advance better management of the disease,” Hallman said.

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 U.F. 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.

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

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.

®

FLORIDA SCALLIONS

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

Florida scallions can grow year-round but are at their peak growing season now in the winter and spring months. A member of the allium family, along with garlic and shallots, green onions are high in vitamins, minerals, and a host of nutritionboosting compounds, such as flavonoids and polyphenols. Some of these compounds may help combat heart disease, strokes, and cancer, as well as lower blood pressure and cholesterol. Scallions are also known as green onions or bunching onions and are among the easiest types of onions to grow.

NUTRITIONAL PROFILE

Fresh Florida scallions are low in calories and have no fat, sodium, or cholesterol. They contain a myriad of active compounds that may help ward off cancer, heart disease, high blood glucose, and strokes. Green onions may also help lower blood pressure and cholesterol and support the immune system. Like garlic and other alliums, scallions have antibacterial and antifungal properties.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, one cup of raw, chopped green onion (100 g) contains 32 calories, 1.8 g protein, 0.2 g fat, 7 g carbohydrate, and 2.6 g of dietary fiber. It also provides 31% of the Daily Recommended Value (%DV) for vitamin C, 10% for dietary fiber, 7.2% for potassium, and plentiful amounts of other B vitamins, as well as magnesium, calcium, iron, and iodine.

Phytonutrients Fight Disease

Scallions contain high levels of different phytonutrients, which are organic compounds in plants that may boost health. Among the phytonutrients, flavonoids (especially quercetin), are plentiful in green onions and are mainly concentrated in the outer layers of the flesh. The quercetin in onions is better absorbed than that from other sources, such as apples. Studies have shown that quercetin protects against cataracts, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Scallions have very high levels of these disease-fighting compounds, putting them alongside other veggie superstars such as broccoli, parsley, and shallots. As with most other nutrients, eating whole vegetables yields more benefits than taking supplements.

Quercetin is a powerful antioxidant that acts to block the formation of cancer cells. Several servings per week of onions may lower the risk of colorectal, laryngeal, and ovarian cancer. Oral and esophageal cancer may also be decreased by high green onion consumption.

Healthy Heart

Scallions are very flavorful, thanks to their sulfur compounds. These compounds pack a big health punch as well. They may help prevent the 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.

How to Select and Store

Choose fresh scallions that have clean, white bulbs and deep green shoots that are free of wet spots or wilting. Store in a cool dry place with good air circulation or in the refrigerator.

Set the bulbs in a glass of water that is high enough to cover the roots for up to several weeks in the refrigerator. Change the water every two to three days. You can even regrow scallions by cutting off the tops for use and leaving the bulbs in water or plant in soil.

How to Enjoy

There are countless ways to enjoy fresh Florida scallions. They may be eaten raw, sliced, sautéed, fried, or even pickled. Although commonly used in sandwiches and salads, green onions can be used in a variety of dishes in many different cuisines.

More ways to enjoy scallions:

• Mince and mix with herbs to create a crust for roasted meats

• Grill whole scallions for a smoky flavor

• Mince and add to salad dressings, dips, or cream cheese

• Slice in long strips and stir-fry with ginger and garlic

• Dice and add to egg omelets and stir-fries

• Slice thin and use to top soup

• Dice and add raw scallions to a chutney

Enjoy the bright, aromatic flavor of Florida scallions today.

SELECTED REFERENCES

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

POLK COUNTY CATTLEMEN’S RANCH RODEO

1st Place Team – M&D Overstreet Ranch

2nd place team – Buck Mann

Ranch

3rd place team – Bone Ranch

Event Winners

Calf Branding – MT Cattle

Double Mugging – Bone Ranch

Wild Cow Milking – Raney Cattle

Women’s Team Sorting – TriCounty Cattle

Colt Riding – Bone Ranch

Silver Sorting – Andy Duff, Mario

Tarango, and Charlie Johnson

Whip Cracking Contest

1st place Junior – Kenna Dean

1st place intermediate – Colton

Blankenship

1st place senior – Jayden Cate

Photos by Melissa Nichols

NINETY-THREE YEARS OF BEAUTIFUL GARDENS

By Libby Hopkins

The Garden Club of Lakeland Florida has been in existence for 93 years. It is the oldest garden club in the State of Florida. It was incorporated in 1931. Marlene Haigh is a current member of the club. “We have more than 120 members right now in the club,” Haigh said. “We just became a 501c3 this past year.”

The club recruits members from all over the Lakeland area. The Garden Club of Lakeland has five groups that meet in the daytime hours and two groups that meet in the evening hours. Each group usually meets once per month and takes field trips to gardens, parks, and places of interest. Guest speakers present informational talks on gardening, horticulture, floral design, and environmental topics, as well as, hands-on projects. “Our projects include landscaping for Habitat for Humanity homes, volunteers for the Lakeland City Nursery and deadheading rose bushes in the city, plant therapy, VISTE holiday bags and many other non-profit projects throughout the city,” Haigh said. “We also work with the local prisons on inmate garden projects (IGP).”

There are some great benefits to IGPs. Permaculture, which is defined as the cultivation of “agricultural ecosystems intended to be sustainable and self-sufficient.” Supporters of IGPs feel it’s a more accurate description

of what such programs are meant to achieve than horticulture, which is generally oriented towards growing and planting.

Conceived as a means of reducing recidivism, it’s about personal self-sufficiency and sustainability as much as it is about growing flowers and vegetables. Academics have praised the concept. In her synthesis of scholarly research on prison permaculture, Arcadia University’s Rachel D. Jenkins said most studies affirm that the programs “enhance incarcerated individuals’ well-being by bolstering self-efficacy, assuaging symptoms of anxiety and depression, and reducing recidivism rates.” Less than 10 percent of IGP participants are re-incarcerated, compared to the nationwide recidivism rate of 55 percent.

By fostering a comfortable, caring environment, programs like IGP offer an emotional “de-thawing’ or a “way in” for participants to confront the circumstances that precipitated their incarceration. IGP is a space that inmates can enter with the safety to start unpacking. (https://thecrimereport.org)

The Garden Club of Lakeland is also a member of the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs (FFGC). The mission

of the Federation is to promote the love of gardening, floral and landscape design, and civic and environmental responsibility by providing education, resources, and networking opportunities for our members, youth, and the community.

A charter member of the National Garden Clubs, Inc. and a member of Deep South Garden Clubs, Inc., FFGC now has more than 150 community-based in the state of Florida and nearly 10,000 members and growing.

Their members belong to their local garden clubs, located in every corner of Florida, and range from inquisitive budding gardeners to knowledgeable veterans with many decades of experience who are dedicated to serving their local communities through beautification projects, sending local youth to Camp Wekiva, and serving as environmental leaders at the local level.

Haigh and the rest of the members love doing outreach projects within the Lakeland community. “We are helping to re-landscape a gentleman’s mobile home because he is in a wheelchair,” Haigh said. “It’s project like this that I love the most and just one of the reasons I love being a part of the club,”

The Garden Club of Lakeland Florida is always looking for new members to join. “We hand out flyers about the club when we are out in the community working on a project,” Haigh said. “The club is a great way to meet fllow gardeners and get more involved in your community.”

If you would like to learn more about The Garden Club of Lakeland Florida, you can visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/TheGardenClubofLakelandInc, or call Haigh at 863-688-1318.

FLORIDA

Strawberries & Pineberries

now In SEasoN!

NEWS BRIEFS

Compiled by Jim Frankowiak

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY

Farm Bureau Membership Offers Agricultural Advocacy and Valuable Benefits

Membership in Florida Farm Bureau offers families the opportunity to support agriculture and wide-ranging benefits and resources such as travel discounts, health and wellness, family entertainment and home/auto insurance. For more information about membership and its benefits, visit MyFFBF.org.

“Field to the Hill” Registration Open

Florida Farm Bureau is inviting interested members to register for “Field to the Hill,” the annual opportunity for members to visit with Florida’s congressional delegation regarding the legislative priorities of agriculture in the Sunshine State. This year’s event will be held May 14-16 at the Hilton Washington DC National Mall, The Wharf. For added information, contact Olivia Vairo via email: Olivia.Vairo@FFBF.org or by phone: at 954-3836608.

Ninth Military Ag Tour April 5

The ninth annual Military Agriculture Tour (MAT IX) is Friday, April 5, from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. The tour is to introduce transitioning military personnel, veterans, and their spouses to the diversity of Hillsborough County agriculture and the variety of careers in a modern agricultural operation. The tour will begin and end at the Hillsborough County Extension office (5339 C.R. 579, Seffner) and include visits to a cattle ranch, tropical fish farm, strawberry farm, and market, University of Florida, Institute of Agricultural Sciences Gulf Coast Research and Education Center and a blueberry farm. Reservations may be made at: April5MilitaryAgricultureTour. Eventbrite.com. You may call Simon Bollin at 813/8531086 or email him at BollinS@HCFLGov.net with any questions.

A Manatee and Me

What are the things you do for sheer enjoyment? One of mine, perhaps to some surprise, is writing these monthly articles!

Well, that and the mental stimulation that a creative craft seems to provide. Besides, delving into all matters of life and living, and giving commentary to the occasion, has taken me many places and led to doing fascinating and fun things.

It’s interesting the comments I get from those who share with me a few minutes of their lives by reading my writings. Last year, for example, after recounting an adventure with nesting sea turtles on Florida’s Atlantic coast, someone asked me how I happened to become an “outdoor writer.”

That particular description of my scribbling had never even occurred to me. After all, I consider and respect the true outdoor writer as one who details opportunities in typical outdoor activities such as hunting and fishing.

Still, though, it seems that my most creative juices flow freely when I am, indeed, outside. While there, and with my iPhone seemingly attached to my hand, I can make many notes to be later elaborated upon.

So, with that being the case, I’ll accept the moniker of “outdoor writer” and wear it proudly, along with the taglines of other titles and licenses I have acquired along the way. Even now, for example, I am outside, on an especially clear, bright, and sunny day, enjoying an early Florida springtime onboard a boat not far from home.

There is a gentle lapping of light waves across the bow as we float; drift really, in whatever direction the tide and gentle breeze decide to nudge us. It’s an idyllic day; the kind that daydreams are made of.

In retrospect, and as great luck and fortune would have it while musing that day, suddenly, and quite to my surprise, she swam by.

Granted I am not certain, nor write with any precision, as to whether it was a she, or he, that politely rolled ever so closely. A snout, some whiskers, and an eyeball stared in our direction, clearly conveying the impression that she/he/it seemed just about as curious of us as we were in return.

John

by John Dicks

A mammal she was, and needing air to breathe, she exhaled so strong as if to expel a bit of breath that we could actually smell as well as feel its warmth. Sometimes referred to as a “siren of the sea,” no doubt you recognize it was a Florida manatee.

I suppose that by now, all of us living in Florida have at least seen, if not encountered, lots of manatees. This one, though, brought back memories of my first one. It was many years ago in Crystal River while snorkeling, not looking for manatees, but suddenly getting bumped in the back by one. The surprise was most disconcerting as I turned to face, nose to snout, with what looked like a 12ft. leathery torpedo!

Fortunately, it all turned out fine, which is why I’m still here to write about it all!

When I was a boy, though, growing up in Florida, several generations ago, I had never seen a manatee. It was not for having been a recluse, for even then I was always outside, and particularly in and around the water. There simply were no manatees to be found.

Christopher Columbus first noticed one and wrote about it back in 1492, but by the 1970s there were remaining only a few hundred Florida manatees scattered throughout our waters. It led to having them added to the U.S. endangered species list.

Their protection worked well, so much so that in 2017 when the manatee count was in the thousands, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service downgraded their classification from “endangered” to that of only “threatened.”

Fortunate we are to live in central Florida where with a short drive to the TECO Manatee Viewing Center on most any day of chilly weather, we can get up close and personal to sometimes hundreds of the sea cows all snuggling up in the warm water outflow of the Big Bend Power Station in Apollo Beach.

TECO’s “manatee season” runs from November through April 15. Miss it and you’ll have to hope for a chance encounter like the “outdoor writer” in me was fortunate to do.

SPREADING URBAN SUNSHINE

By Libby Hopkins

Megan Brettrager and her husband consider themselves urban homesteaders. “We live right in the middle of a residential neighborhood in Bartow, FL,” Brettrager said. “We are a small hobby farm. We grow things for our family and friends.” They are the owners of Sunshine Farms in Bartow.

Brettrager grew up in a small town in Ohio and moved to Florida five years ago. “We came to Florida because we were following a ministering opportunity. My husband and I are very religious and felt the Lord was calling us to Florida.”

The couple originally settled in St. Petersburg, but now they live in Bartow. “We’ve always missed the farming aspect from living up North,” Brettrager said. “We have been really committed to using the land we have right now, as well as, providing a better lifestyle for our kids.”

A hobby farm is a small farm typically used for leisure or hobby purposes. While some people generate income from their hobby farms, the primary difference between a hobby farm and a commercial farm lies in the latter being run as a business.

The concept of domestication, for both plants and animals, was a concept started by the Stone Age version of the small family garden and ranch. Extended family-

based groups were the key demographic involved in the transition from hunter-gatherers to home builders. It was these family groups who performed the personal agricultural experiments that led to a greater understanding of how humans could manipulate the growth of food plants and animals to their benefit.

If you could go back in time to the early days of the hobby farm, you would be amazed at the progress that has been made in this exciting field. Just a few short centuries ago, small family groups were responsible for pioneering the domestication of both plants and animals. These innovative individuals were responsible for setting out on the road to civilization, and their legacy continues to be felt today.

There are many benefits of owning a hobby farm. One of the main reasons people choose to have a small farm is to enjoy fresh and nutritious foods. Engaging in agricultural activities on a hobby farm provides an excellent opportunity to get some exercise. Escaping the hustle and bustle of city life and immersing yourself in the natural rhythms of a hobby farm can be very relaxing. Hobby farming allows you to embrace a more sustainable lifestyle through practical choices. Beyond fresh produce, a small hobby farm provides an invaluable opportunity for families to cultivate essential life skills.

Gardening and caring for animals teach responsibility, patience, and the importance of hard work, benefiting both children and adults. “We have chickens, quail, and rabbits,” Brettrager said. “We are homeschoolers, so we try to do as many hands-on experiences with our kids as possible. The kids have chores every day that involve them taking care of the animals. They have to rake out their pens, feed them, give them water and they even help us dispatch them at times.”

If you ask Brettrager what her family enjoys most about having a hobby farm, she will tell you the control of what her family is eating. “Having the control over what my family eats is very important to my husband and me,” Brettrager said. “We are able to control what our animals eat as well. We have a small garden, and we also make our own sourdough bread too.”

Keeping things local to the Brettrager’s is important as well. “Keeping things local is important because it helps our community,” Brettrager said. “People want to know where their food is coming from and who is growing it.”

If you’d like to learn more about Sunshine Farms, you can visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550281287280.

Florida Strawberry Nutella Pizza

Florida Strawberry Dream Ice Cream

INGREDIENTS

2 cups whole milk

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup white sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups mashed fresh strawberries

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, combine the milk, cream, sugar, salt and vanilla. Pour the mixture into the frozen freezer bowl and let mix for 20-30 minutes until it begins to thicken.

Add strawberries and process for 10-15 more minutes. The ice cream

Filling

Pizza dough for one pizza

1 jar of Nutella

8 oz bittersweet chocolate bar

4 cups of sliced Florida strawberries

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 450°F. If you have a pizza stone, place it in the oven as it preheats. This will give you an extra crispy crust just like a traditional stone pizza oven!

Roll out the dough on a floured surface. Pressing from the center out in a circular motion, start forming your pizza. It’s important to keep the dough density consistent so flip the dough and re-flour from time to time.

Take your pizza stone out of the oven. Dust the top of the pizza stone with flour

will have a soft, creamy texture. Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and place in freezer for 2 hours.

Remove from freezer about 15 minutes before serving. Add a sprig of mint or basil for an even more beautiful display.

Chef’s note: If your ice cream maker is as noisy as most, or if it tends to lose its cool a little early in the process, have I got a trick for you! Simply clear out some space in your refrigerator or freezer and let the magic happen in the cold, quiet darkness of your freezer or fridge. This also means you can make more than one batch a day since your freezer bowl won’t thaw out as quickly!

and carefully place the pizza dough on the stone. Place back into the oven and bake for around 10 minutes or until its edges are puffy and the crust begins to turn golden brown.

Once the pizza is ready, remove from the oven and the pizza stone. Now spread the Nutella and don’t be afraid to be as generous as you like! Grate the dark chocolate bar over the Nutella.

Evenly distribute the sliced strawberries, slice and enjoy!

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

Production:

by Sean Green

• 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.

By Grady Judd, Polk County Sheriff

RABIES IN POLK COUNTY

Polk County has its first case of rabies in 2024.

Confirmation came back on February 21, 2024, from the Bureau of Public Health in Tampa, a state lab that tests for rabies. In this particular case, they tested a bat that had been submitted by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Animal Control Section.

The bat was first noticed on February 17 in a Lakeland business just north of I-4 and US 98.

A couple of days later, an employee at the business contacted Animal Control about the bat and an officer responded to retrieve the animal.

Fortunately, no people or other animals were injured by the bat.

The bat was then sent to the state lab for testing, and two days later, we received confirmation that the bat was indeed infected with the viral disease.

In most years, we tend to see just a few cases of rabies in Polk County.

In 2023, Polk County only had three confirmed cases of rabies (one raccoon, and two bats).

Looking back even further, 2022 had just one confirmed case (bat), five in 2021 (2 bats, 2 fox, and 1 raccoon), and two in 2020 (1 bat, 1 raccoon).

In 2019 however, Polk County had a total of 12 cases confirmed—seven raccoons and five bats.

Bats and raccoons are the animals that we most often hear about getting rabies, but the reality is that any mammal can get it—including humans.

Dogs, cats, foxes, and skunks are some other animals that we often hear about getting rabies. Meanwhile, opossums rarely get infected due to their lower body temperature, which inhibits the virus’ ability to thrive.

Obviously, rabies is a concern among people with livestock as well.

While it doesn’t happen very often there have been confirmed cases of rabies in Florida that have involved horses, goats, and cows, and with those animals usually kept with other animals, a potential exists for multiple infections to occur.

The reason rabies is such a concern is because it is so deadly; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that human rabies is almost always fatal once clinical signs appear—99% fatal. The good news is that it is highly preventable by vaccinating your pets against rabies and avoiding contact with wildlife and other animals that appear distressed, sick, or aggressive.

In Florida, dogs, cats, and ferrets 4 months of age or older must be vaccinated against rabies.

If you come across an animal that you believe may be infected, contact the PCSO’s Animal Control section immediately by calling (863) 577-1762. If the animal is aggressive and people and/or other animals are in danger, call 9-1-1.

If contact is made with an animal that may be infected, try to safely keep track of that animal until an Animal Control officer can respond and take the animal so it can be tested. Do not touch it, or try to capture it.

Stay safe, and keep your family, pets, and livestock safe.

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Polk County Cattle Women County Cattle Women

Trying to smell the roses is a little hard this time of the year. Not because we are so busy we can’t, but because we try not to sneeze from all the pollen in the air. If you missed me last month, well I am back! I apologize for my absence, but my grandmother decided that heaven sounded a little better than this Earth and all the worldly possessions. I honestly don’t blame her at all. We love and miss her, but we know that she is in a much better place than us, kissing the Lord’s face.

Polk County CattleWomen (PCCW) have been busy, busy, busy promoting the beef industry. In February we had ladies attend the Florida State Fair and volunteer at the Florida CattleWomen’s booth passing out beef samples to the public and teaching them about beef and cattle here in Florida. Our other event for this month was providing concessions for the 2024 Polk County Cattlemen’s As-

sociation (PCCA) Trade Show and Ranch Rodeo. If you came and got a hotdog or hamburger from the concession stand, we thank you for helping us provide up to $4,000 worth of scholarships every year to local students.

If you would like to join our membership or renew your membership, please come to our next meeting, on April 2 at the Bartow Extension office at 6:30 p.m. and we will get you squared away!

Blair Buchanon

Blair Buchanon

blairbuchanon@gmail.com

Polk County Cattlewomen President