In The Field magazine Polk edition

LIVING THE LIGHTSEY LEGACY

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

Cover Photo by Melissa Nichols

Letter from the Editor

This year’s Thanksgiving, and Christmas for that matter, will be a differ ent experience for me. One I am not actually looking forward to. You see, I lost my mother in August. She moved in with me shortly after my father passed away several years ago. She left the only area she had ever lived, to move more than 900 miles to do it. Social butterfly that she was, she immediately made new friends and settled in.

For nearly 11 years it was mom and me. Her health was up and down over the years, but I didn’t expect to lose her when I did. Through all her health issues, she remained her happy, social self to the outside world. She stopped driving for the last year of her life and that was difficult for her. She feared a loss of independence and mentioned many times feeling like a burden to me (she definitely wasn’t).

This year, when I sit down for Thanksgiving dinner with the best friends who quickly became family to both mom and I, I’ll be sad and prob ably shed more than a few tears. So will they, as they miss her almost as much as I do, but I will still give thanks for all the years we did have together.

When you gather together with family and friends, cherish every mo ment. We never know when it will be the last.

I will also give thanks for you, our readers. You continue to support journalism and agriculture through your readership. We build a great relationship with our agriculture community and feel we have a con nection with our readers, sources and those we feature each month.

STAFF

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

In The Field magazine is embarking on our 19th year of business. I’m extremely thankful that bond is strong. I’m glad you notice our publi cation. Please keep reading and supporting our advertisers so we can continue to bring the story of agriculture to you.

Happy Thanksgiving

In The Field Magazine is published monthly and is avail able through local Polk County businesses, restaurants, and many local venues. It is also distributed by U.S. mail to a target market, which includes all of the Greenbelt Property owners, members of the Polk County Catlle men’s Association.

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 Publica tions, Inc. Any use or duplication of material used in In the Field magazine is prohibited without written consent from Berry Publications, Inc.

Published by Berry Publications, Inc.

Hello to all. Hard to believe it is November already. At the time of me writing this, we are all waiting to see what this storm brings us. Hopefully not as serious as the last one. We had to make the decision to postpone our an nual meeting one week and the date is now Thursday November 17. Hope the word got out to everyone in time. It will still be held at the Starling’s Barn on Lake Buffum. We appreciate them hosting us on such late notice since FEMA had taken over the Stuart Center. It will be good for us all to get together for the good food and fellowship.

Winter will be here before we know it, time to think about supplementing your cows to keep them in shape to breed. Maybe all this extra moisture we get might make you want to plant a little ryegrass, if you think you can stand to fertilize it. Liquid feed is another good op tion. Maybe you got a good hay crop in between the wet weather. Sometimes a little goes a long way, and if you don’t take a little care of your cows they aren’t go ing to take care of you later.

The bull sales have been very strong this fall. The old saying that a bull should be worth 4-5 calves apparent

ly doesn’t seem to be the case anymore as good qual ity bulls often go much higher than that. Hopefully you all got out and voted. We need more common sense in our leadership. $5 Diesel fuel is hurting our calf prices considerably as the freight is probably $20 cwt where it used to be around $12.

You all take care. Happy Thanksgiving!

Until Next Time,

Kevin Fussell

Polk County Cattlemen’s Association

FROM THE SCIENTIFIC FIELD

By J. Scott Angle

The hub of advances in artificial intelligence (AI) that are going to keep you globally competitive is going to be located right in your neighborhood.

The UF/IFAS Center for Applied Artificial Intelligence in Agri culture will be a 19,000-square-foot facility at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center anchored by a workshop for developing precision ag machine prototypes.

In the workshop, offices, conference rooms and common areas designed to create the kinds of chance encounters that result in collaboration, our faculty will apply AI to your challenges. The solutions can range from large machines to hand-held phone apps that help you make decisions in real time.

The idea, especially with technology like the apps, is to make AI accessible to every Hillsborough and Polk County farmer, and indeed every Florida farmer.

Plans call for research and office space as well and areas de signed to encourage conversations to build teams for AI re search and Extension. That’s important, because while the center will be based at GCREC in Balm, it will develop tech nologies for the entire state.

This is not a pie-in-the-sky aspiration. There is already huge momentum toward making our design renderings into brick and mortar.

GCREC Director Jack Rechcigl and Associate Director Nathan Boyd invited me to GCREC about a year ago to present their vi sion to me and to a council of stakeholders. The council unani mously supported the project, and several members urged us to move on this immediately.

Hillsborough County has already made a $1.5 million commit ment to the center. Our advancement team is seeking private support. We’re requesting funding from the legislature in 2023.

The center will be our most important facilities investment in a generation. We’ll need support from Tallahassee and possibly Washington. You can help by supporting our legislative bud get request. I hope it will be top of mind for those of you who participate in Florida Farm Bureau Day and the Taste of Florida Agriculture Reception at the Capitol on March 8.

A center will add momentum to a movement. It will be a decla ration that Florida’s farmers and agricultural scientists are the vanguard of feeding the world in a more sustainable way. It

will be the epicenter of accelerated evolution of agriculture from human-labor-intensive to technology-driven.

We need to do this now. Global spending on smart technolo gies such as AI and machine learning directed toward agri culture is projected to triple in the next three years. There is enormous interest in scientific advance giving us the opportu nity to employ the land-grant university-industry-government partnership model to make major global impacts.

Help us imagine a future for agriculture that the center will help create, one where technology again keeps Florida glob ally competitive, producing our own food, employing Florid ians, contributing to the local economy, and making Florida the leader in feeding the world.

There have been few moments in the history of UF/IFAS when the way to create the future is so visible and reachable. We have the experts to do it. The center will help unleash their tal ent and imagination.

J. Scott Angle is the University of Florida’s Senior Vice Presi dent for Agriculture and Natural Resources and leader of the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sci ences (UF/IFAS).

Angle is the University of Florida’s Vice President for Agriculture and Natu ral Resources and leader of the UF Insti tute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS).

Scott

By Marisol Tarango

THOUGHTS FROM THE HEIFER PEN

Fall is kind of a disappointing season for me. It is my favorite season, but I always pump myself up that THIS year is going to be the year that we have a “real” fall in Florida. Meaning that we have nice, cool fall weather like the rest of the country af ter four to five months of sweltering humidity. I want to wear my sweaters, my felt hat, wild rag, and my cute long sleeve dresses that I can only wear a few times a year because the rest of the year is so hot. But I have been in denial of the reality of Florida weather for most of my life, which is ironic because I have literally never experienced fall in a different state.

I will just state this now for anyone who is wondering, I do enjoy fall in Florida. To me fall seems to hold more childhood memo ries than we give it credit for. It kind of gets over shadowed by summer with big vacations, school being out, and the general feeling of freedom, but fall always seems to hold those special little memories that you don’t think much of until you are older. At least for me anyway. My sisters and I always had adventures with our dolls in the fall, we would take them for walks or set up all their things and play with them on the porch in the evenings. I can remember how cold our feet would get when we would play outside in the evenings because we couldn’t be bothered to actually put shoes on. (If you wait a little bit, your feet go numb after a while and then you’re fine.) Fall just has a homey feeling when it comes to memories.

When I was 15 my dad bought a special spotlight for hunting hogs and coyotes (in the state of Florida it is legal to hunt cer tain animals with a spotlight). It could mount on your rifle and had a green light that isn’t supposed to bother the animals. (It will bother humans if shined in their eyes). And get this, it had batteries and didn’t have to plug into a cigarette lighter. Needless to say, my dad was really excited to use it. That year we were having issues with coyotes hanging around and you would hear them all throughout the night playing their haunt ing version of Marco Polo. One night we came home from a 4-H meeting and heard them right after we had gotten in the house. That was the excuse my dad had been waiting for to try out his light, so out the door he dashed with me on his heels. Running through a pasture trying to keep up with your dad on a cow trail and not make any noise requires some skill. (Hon

estly this should be a training exercise for the military, being whisper yelled at to be quiet a couple times helps you catch on quickly.) When we found the coyotes, it was like watching a wildlife program. They were playing games with each other like puppies and jumping in the grass. The most amazing thing to me was that they were totally oblivious that we were there. When fall rolls around in the ranching community, so does shipping season. (I should clarify shipping season for cattle, and no, UPS does not ship calves for some reason.) As a kid during shipping season, I always enjoyed going to help work cows at different ranches with my dad. This was twofold, I got to work cows and ride my horse, and being homeschooled I was also usually able to get out of school for the day. It was al ways kind of a disappointment when the work would only take half the day and my mom still made me do school when I got home. On one particular day, it was cool for once, and I was wearing my favorite poncho that my mom had made me with shadow horses running on it. Because it was cold, I was a little nervous about how things would go, and the long shadows of the early morning were not helping. But, once we got past the cowpens and the hedge of Brazilian Pepper Trees, I could see the sun coming up and over the pasture and it seemed like there was nothing I couldn’t do. That morning everything went smoothly, and I still got home early enough, unfortunately, to get my school done.

Fall is like the middle child of the seasons. Overlooked by the epic-ness of summer and Christmas, and tainted by the begin ning of the school year, but in this busy ho-hum season, there are a lot of memories to gather in, first days of school and the last days of the year. I will never experience a fall at this same age again, my little sister will never experience fall as a high schooler after this year, and even my little brother, who still has plenty of childhood left, will never quite experience fall the same again. So, light the candles, bake the pies, and sit around the fires. (And I guess drink the pumpkin spice if you are into that kind of thing.)

Tampa Bay’s Fishing Report December 2022 and January 2023

Florida is a great place to live, especially in the winter. Because there are many winter months, it’s only long shirt sleeves making for comfortable fishing days. For the most part, the bite’s been intense, slowing for the occasional passing front. For some reason, when the weather be comes unsettled it usually means a front is approaching, bringing either cooler or warmer temperatures. Over the past quarter century, I’ve worked as a salt water charter captain. During that time, I discovered the best time to catch salt water fish was just before a front goes by. A good indicator for catching fish is when the barometric pressure begins dropping. Barometric pressure is often measured and expressed in millibars (MB), inches, or millimeters of mercury (Hg). Normal pressure at sea level is at or around 1013.3 millibars or 29.92 inches of mercury. Over the years, I’ve conclud ed that better fishing days are when the Barometric pressure drops.

Winter is coming! So, shortly the water will be cooler and the fish will eat. Get Ready, Get Set, and Let’s Go fishing. They’ll be eating anything that moves or looks like bait, so be ready. Keep your eyes open as many winter species begin showing up. Kingfish, Mackerel, Permit, Sheepshead, and Mangrove Snapper start heading our way looking for easy meals.

Snook: The snook bite should get slower as the water cools. It seems like the mag ic number is around 70 degrees. Deep passes early in the mornings, spreading out to the shallower waters as the day warms. Greenbacks, pinfish, and grunts are the best live bait for those looking for live bait action. Suppose you like artificial topwater lures. If you’re an artificial an gler, try any with the walk-the-dog action like the MirrOlure Top Dog Jr, Heddon Zara Spook, and Spit’n Image work great. Soft plastics are always producers, espe cially when rigged on a 1/16th or 1/8th ounce jig-head. Try tossing these close to the mangroves and working them away slowly using a walk-the-dog action.

Redfish: Like snook, the redfish should become easier to catch as the tempera tures climb. They’ll cruise the outer flats, then travel into the mangroves as the tide gets higher. Large mullet schools are good places to find redfish mixed with other species. Live greenbacks can sometimes start them eating by tossing several baits around the flats or near the mangroves. Try keeping the baits within casting distance to draw the fish to you. Expect excitement when pitching artifi cial hard lures and soft plastics around the mangroves during an incoming tide.

Capt. Woody Gore (www.captainwoodygore.com)

Spotted Sea Trout: Cool weather and water should produce good trout ac tion on incoming or outgoing tides. Es pecially when using topwater popping plugs on a calm early morning grass flat. Try popping the lure several times and letting it float. Repeat until you get a strike. On the other hand, live shrimp or artificial DOA shrimp suspended un der a popping cork should also pro duce nice trout.

Cobia, Kings, Mackerel, and Sharks: With the onset of winter bait schools come the Kings, Cobia, Mackerel, and Sharks, usually cruise markers holding bait. Mackerel could be feeding on bait schools, Kingfish, and sharks.

813-477-3814

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

Visit his website, www.captainwoodygore.com Email: fishing@captainwoodygore. com

By Libby Hopkins SEED

E ndang E r E d S p E ci ES Florida Bog Frog

The Florida bog frog or the Lithobates okaloosae, which is the scientific name, is a rare species of frog found only in West ern Florida. The Bog Frog can reach a snout-to-vent length of 1.9 inches. This species has a yellowish-brown upper body, a yellow belly, brown eardrum, yellow throat, a narrow ridge that runs laterally down the back and smaller webbed feet with larger toes. The diet of the Bog Frog primarily consists of small insects.

There is limited information available about the reproduction of the Bog frog. They breed between the months of April and August. During the breeding season, bog frogs will let out loud “chucks” to attract a mate. Their calls consist of 3-21 gut tural sound that starts at the back of their oral cavity. The calls continuously done at five notes per second.

Females lay a few hundred eggs at a time on the surface of the water. Bog Frog tadpoles metamorphose into frogs dur ing the following spring months.

Florida bog frogs inhabit many areas including shallow, acidic spring seeps, boggy overflows of larger seepage streams, sluggish bends in streams and pond edges. The dominant vegetation in these habitats includes black titi, sweet bay magnolia, Atlantic white cedar, swamp titi and black gum. The Bog Frog is found in Walton, Okaloosa and Santa Rosa coun ties in Florida.

The Bog Frog was unknown to science until the 1982, when it was discovered by State of Florida herpetologist Paul Moler while conducting surveys for the Pine Barrens Treefrog.

The main threat to the Florida Bog Frog is the degradation of its habitat. Bog Frogs thrive best in early succession veg etation. Suppression of fire will cause woody plants to invade their bog habitat causing increased evapotranspiration, which is the evaporation of water from land to the atmosphere. This reduces seepage from the soil. Invasive vegetation also de grades its habitat; with Chinese tallow trees being the main invasive threat. Invasive vegetation degrades habitats by outcompeting endemic species for resources needed for sur vival.

Feral hogs also threaten the Florida bog frog’s habitat by dig ging around in seepage areas which causes destruction to the habitat. Road construction can increase silt and pollution in streams and can also cause habitat fragmentation.

Increased predation on Bog frogs is also a threat because their habitat is shared by the southern water snake, cotton mouth and wading birds. Other threats include pathogens and parasites and the effects of global warming.

The Florida bog frog is protected as a state-threatened spe cies by Florida’s Endangered and Threatened Species Rule.

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From mowing and loading to tilling and digging, these compact tractors are built to make a long day of chores feel simple. When you turn the key of a John Deere 1 Series, you’ll quickly see why these tractors are the one.

Business Up Front POLK TRACTOR COMPANY

By Jim Frankowiak

CELEBRATING 70 YEARS OF FAMILY OWNERSHIP & OPERATION

Hinton James, Jr. moved his family in the early 50s from North Carolina where they had grown watermelons to Tampa and then to Winter Haven where he fulfilled his desire in 1952 “to get into the tractor business,” said his grandson and present owner of Polk Tractor Company, Jay James.

Hinton eventually sold the business in 1979 to his son Bo who has since passed on ownership to his son Jay seven years ago. “We have had three locations in Polk County and have been located here on Havendale Boulevard since 1963,” said Jay. Polk Tractor is a full line Kubota dealer at the elite level and is also the oldest Kubota dealer in Florida. In addition to Kubota products, Polk Tractor sells and services Stihl equip ment, Gravely “zero turn” mowers and Kubota-owned Land Pride implements. The company also offers equipment rental through PTC Rental along with parts for all of its equipment. The company’s customers range from homeowners and commercial landscapers, farmers and ranchers to construc tion companies and local government agencies. “We serve customers throughout Polk County and central Florida,” said Jay. “It’s important to us to be close enough to effectively serve our customers.”

Jay and his wife Nikki are active in the business on a daily business along with Jay’s sister Amy and his son Clay, who is to ultimately become the fourth generation owner of the busi ness. “Clay, just as my father and I did, is learning all facets of the business,” said Jay. “You can’t effectively run the business

without knowing all aspects. Additionally, it has always been our goal to treat customers like we want to be treated – fairly and honestly.

“Our employees are our greatest asset,” said James. “They are knowledgeable and committed to serving our customers in the best way possible, and for that we are most grateful.”

Ongoing community engagement has also been an ongoing hallmark of Polk Tractor. “That includes support of FFA and 4-H chapters in Polk County, as well as the local governments throughout our service area.”

As to the future, Polk Tractor is currently engaged in a search for a new and larger location. “We have outgrown our pres ent facility and want to find a site that will enable us to build a larger facility so we can continue to meet the needs of our growing customer base,” said James.

For more information about Polk Tractor Company and PTC Rental, visit: www.polktractorco.com or call: 863/967-0651. Email: info@polktractorco.com. PTC is located at 3450 Haven dale Boulevard, Winter Haven, FL 33881. Hours of operation are 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Congratulations Polk Tractor for 70 years of family-owned sales and service!

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.

protecting our environment.

This publication is supported by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award U2FFD007446 totaling $1,166,732 with 100 percent funded by FDA/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by FDA/HHS, or the U.S. Government.

If you eat a polar bear’s liver, you will die of a vitamin A overdose.

In 1977, researchers detected a strong radio signal from space that lasted 72 seconds. It has hasn’t been detected since.

Pluto hasn’t completed a full orbit since its discovery, and won’t until March 23, 2178.

Snoopy has made the most appearances in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

The first Thanksgiving was held in the autumn of 1621 and included 50 Pilgrims and 90 Wampanoag Indians and lasted three days.

Sarah Josepha Hale, the woman who actually wrote the classic song “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” convinced President Lincoln in 1863 to make Thanksgiving a national holiday, after writing letters for 17 years campaigning for this to happen.

Campbell’s soup created green bean casserole for an annual cookbook 50 years ago. It now sells $20 million worth of cream of mushroom soup.

In 1953, Swanson had so much extra turkey (260 tons) that a sales man told them they should package it onto aluminum trays with other sides like sweet potatoes — and the first TV dinner was born!

Elderly People

A few months back I was having breakfast at the Hole-In-The-Wall restaurant on the square in downtown Blairsville, Georgia. Now eat ing at the Hole-In-The-Wall is an experience all in itself, but to visit with the hometown folks is something else. I was eating some of their famous thick country fried ham, eggs and grits and overheard the old folks next to me talking about why it takes older folks longer to answer a question. Gafford, as he is known to his friends, hit the nail on the head when he said, “Us old folks have so much information in our brain that it takes longer for us to access it. Older peoples brains don’t get weak, the problem is, they simply know more, and it takes more time to figure out what to say.”

From there the conversation went on to what they did last week. Fred spoke up with a brilliant thought, “Last week I got to thinking about when I grew up. I drank my bottled water out of a garden hose. And that’s not all. I think this recession is just dragging on. I don’t give a rip what they say on TV, it’s still rough as a cob out there. I always ask if they have a senior discount.”

Zeke jumped in with full agreement. He said, “As a rule, I try to avoid all the fast-food restaurants because I’m not a real big fan of explo sive diarrhea or clogged arteries, but I have to admit some of them kick out a good breakfast real cheap.”

“Did you hear Clovis’ wife left him?” Zeke said. “He told me the other day he asked his wife what she would do if he won the lottery!” She said, “I’d take half, then leave you.” “That’s good,” he replied. “I won $20.00, here’s $10.00…I’ll see ya.”

If you’re ever passing through Blairsville, stop in at the “Hole-InThe-Wall” for breakfast downtown at the square around the historic courthouse. These guys are usually there for a couple of hours.

Have you heard the story of the man that could never find the time to fix his lawnmower? His wife kept hinting to him that he should have it fixed. But, somehow he always had something else to do first, the boat, working in the shed, playing golf…he always had more im portant things to do. Finally, she thought of a clever way to make her point. When he arrived home one day from playing golf with his bud dies, he found her seated in the tall grass busily snipping away with a tiny pair of scissors. He watched for a minute, and then went into the house, and came back and handed her a toothbrush. He said, “When you finish cutting the grass, you might as well sweep the driveway.” The last I heard the doctors say he will walk again, but most likely will have a limp.

I enjoy those clean and simple jokes, like George, the farmer, that had so many children he ran out of names. To solve the problem he started calling his kids after something around his farm.

It was the first day of school and the teacher asked each child their name. When he got to farmer Georges’ son, the boy replied, “Wagon Wheel.” The teacher said, “I need your real name boy.” The boy re plied, “Sir, my name is Wagon Wheel.” The teacher, rather annoyed replied, “Okay young man, take yourself right down to the Princi pal’s office this minute.” The young man pushed himself out of his chair, turned to his sister and said, “C’mon ‘Chicken Feed’, he ain’t gonna believe you either!”

Have you ever wondered why men are seldom depressed? Think about it. Men are happier people. Your last name stays put. You can never be pregnant. You can wear a white T-shirt to the water park. The world is your urinal. People never stare at your chest when you’re talking to them. Phone conversations are over in 30-seconds flat. A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase. Your underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack. The same hairstyle lasts for years. You only have to shave your face and neck. You can do your nails with a pocketknife. You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives on December 24th in 25 minutes. If Laura, Kate and Sarah go out for lunch, they will call each other Laura, Kate and Sarah. If Mike, Dave and Chuck go out, they will refer to each other as Fatboy, Bubba and Wildman. A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn’t. A man marries a woman expecting that she won’t change, but she does.

I remember my mother telling me she was taught in a very small school, where several grades were often in the same classroom. There was no indoor plumbing in the building and the bathroom was an outhouse behind the school. There was one thing she said she could not figure out. She said, “We had to raise our hand and speak when called upon. But the funny part was when we wanted to go to the out-house, we raised our hand with one finger up for #1, and two for #2. For the life of me I never could figure out why the teacher wanted to know which bodily function was necessary, but that was the way it was!”

In closing remember you don’t stop laughing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop laughing.

Editor’s Note: This Rocking Chair Chatter was originally printed in the November 2014 issue

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT UF/IFAS AGRICULTURAL DAMAGE AND LOSS ASSESSMENT

By Kirsten Romaguera

What is the survey for?

As a statewide organization, UF/IFAS conducts rapid assess ment of agricultural losses and damages in the affected re gions of Florida after a significant disaster event. While the assessment is not a formal component of a specific govern ment agency’s decision process, the results of the UF/IFAS assessment are shared with administrators at the Florida De partment of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the United States Department of Agriculture, United States Economic Development Agency and the Federal Emergency Manage ment Agency, as well as with state-level industry associations.

How does this effort benefit producers and the agricultural industry in Florida?

After a significant disaster event like Hurricane Ian, the Uni versity of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Economic Impact Analysis Program (EIAP) works to provide timely, credible estimates of agricultural losses. This is a critical component in the processes of official disaster declaration and disaster relief and recovery.

Agricultural loss estimates are based on survey responses submitted by agricultural producers and Florida Cooperative Extension faculty. When producers participate in the survey, they help ensure the accuracy of the estimate.

Christa Court, director of the UF/IFAS EIAP, explains how sur vey responses are used and why this information matters for Florida agriculture now and in the future.

How do producers access the survey for Hurricane Ian impacts and what does it ask for?

Producers can access the confidential survey at go.ufl.edu/ ianagimpacts or by contacting their local UF/IFAS Extension county office to report by phone, receive a paper copy, or re quest an in-person assessment, where available.

The disaster assessment survey requests information includ ing the type of respondent, whether the record is a first-hand observation or second-hand information, and the location of the farm, ranch or operation. After selecting a commodity group for the operation, the respondent is asked for relevant, commodity-specific information on acreage in production, number of animals on farm, and then details on production losses and damages. In addition, the survey requests infor mation on stored products and inputs that might have been damaged or destroyed.

The final questions of the survey ask respondents to briefly describe any other types of damages or losses or provide general comments about the operation’s disaster experi ences, and if they would like to upload photos recording the reported damage.

This assessment informs decision-making at the local, state and federal levels related to disaster declaration, response and recovery. More specifically, survey responses and subse quent analyses provide data and insights to industry associa tions, government agencies, policy makers, and emergency management personnel. Responses are used for managing emergency planning exercises, emergency response specific to agriculture and natural resource systems, and strategies for adjustment or development of policy tools associated with resilience at the local, state, and national levels. More gener ally, the assessment results improve public understanding of the economic importance of agriculture in our state and how this sector is impacted by disaster events.

By participating in the survey, you will also help us get closer to two long-term goals: 1) to develop disaster-specific data bases that allow for accurate and defensible rapid assess ment without the need for surveys, and 2) to harmonize and standardize the data collection process across state and fed eral agencies and industry associations to relieve producers from redundant reporting in the aftermath of disaster events.

What if the questions don’t apply to me or don’t adequately cover the types of damages and losses experienced?

The UF/IFAS EIAP has designed the survey to request only the information that is directly relevant to a rapid, statewide assessment of impacts to all types of production agriculture across the state. Florida agriculture is very diverse, producing 200+ different commodities. The assessment covers only the commodities for which reliable, publicly accessible baseline data exist; however, it does include an “other” category within each commodity group where producers can report on types of commodities that are not listed. If you feel that your opera tions’ disaster experience will not be well represented by the responses to the questions in the survey, there is an openended question about the operation’s experience with the di saster where additional, relevant information can be entered. The UF/IFAS EIAP program is always looking to improve this tool and uses the information provided in this open-ended question as well as feedback from Florida Cooperative Ex tension, industry associations and producers to determine if adjustments to the survey are needed.

Christa Court

Other agencies and organizations collect this kind of information. Should producers still complete the UF/IFAS survey along with the others?

Yes. Several agencies and organizations collect much of the same information, but they are using it for different purposes. Producers are encouraged to participate in all assessment ef forts that adequately protect their personal information and those in which results and outputs will inform decision-mak ing processes related to disaster declaration, response and relief. For example, the United States Department of Agricul ture’s Farm Service Agency (1-877-508-8364 or sm.fpac.fsa. flfsa.disaster@usda.gov) collects information on agricultural losses that directly informs the processes of disaster dec laration and relief at the federal level. UF/IFAS continues to engage with government agencies and industry associations involved in the assessment of agricultural losses and dam ages to encourage harmonization and consolidation of these different assessment tools.

Can producers use this assessment for insurance claims or other forms of official loss or damage documentation?

No, our data are collected as part of a research effort to rap idly assess agricultural damages and losses. As such, the in dividual level information collected is confidential and cannot be shared with individuals outside of the research team. If a producer would like to retain a copy of their responses for their own records to aid the completion of other forms or in surance claims, that can be arranged.

What happens to the data?

The information entered in the survey is downloaded and prepped for analysis by investigators from the UF/IFAS Eco nomic Impact Analysis Program, which resides within the Food and Resource Economics Department at the University of Florida. All data for individual farm businesses and survey respondents are maintained confidentially, and only group to tals or averages will be disclosed, as per the terms of the sur vey protocol approved by the University of Florida Institutional Review Board (IRB).

The investigators compile the survey information for all com modities in each county affected by the disaster. The survey information is used to calculate average and median levels of percentage losses to estimate the share of total volume and value of each commodity lost, based on available baseline information for the most recent year. Baseline data include in formation on total area, volume, price, value and crop growth stages of commodities, as well as total number and type of farm infrastructure in each county from sources such as the USDA’s U.S. Census of Agriculture and annual surveys by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, the Florida De partment of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and the Fed eral Emergency Management Agency.

When the analyses of survey data are complete, a summary of the estimated commodity losses and asset damages will be made available on the UF/IFAS Economic Impact Analy sis Program’s Disaster Impact Analysis webpage (go.ufl.edu/ disasters).

FLORIDA SEEDLESS CUCUMBERS

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

Did you know that cucumbers are considered a fruit and not a vegetable? And that some cucumbers are seedless? Cucum bers are crisp, juicy, and refreshing and are typically eaten raw or as a pickle. Though eaten as a vegetable, the cucumber is technically a fruit and belongs to the same botanical fam ily as melon, summer squash, and winter squash. While most people think of cucumbers as dark green and long, they are also available in white, yellow, or orange colors and can be short, oval, or round. There are hundreds of different kinds of cucumbers! The entire cucumber is edible, and the skin and seeds are rich in vitamins and minerals. Florida is one of the top producers of cucumbers in the nation. In Florida, cu cumbers are grown commercially both in the field and in the greenhouse.

Seedless cucumbers, also called English cucumbers, green house cucumbers, or hot-house cucumbers, are long and thin with dark green skin. This type of cucumber has almost no seeds, very thin edible skin that does not require peeling, and a mild flavor. Seedless cucumbers are typically grown in greenhouses. The fruit is usually 12-14 inches long and weigh about a pound. In the grocery store, English cucumbers are typically sold wrapped in plastic because the thin skin is deli cate.

NUTRITIONAL PROFILE

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, one cup of raw, sliced cucumber (104 g) contains 15.6 calories, 0.68 g protein, 0.11 g fat, 3.78 g carbohydrate, and 0.52 g of dietary fiber. It also provides 19% of the Daily Recommended Value (%DV) for vitamin K, 12% for molybdenum, 5% for pan tothenic acid, 4% for potassium, phosphorus, copper, manga nese, and vitamin C, as well as significant amounts of vitamin B1, biotin, and magnesium.

Antioxidants

Fresh Florida seedless cucumbers contain a high amount of antioxidant nutrients. These include vitamin C, beta-carotene, and manganese. Antioxidants work to neutralize the effects of harmful free radicals and prevent its damaging effects on cells. By fighting cell and tissue damage, vitamin C protects against cancer and other diseases, such as the common cold. Vitamin C also enhances iron absorption from other foods, which reduces the risk of anemia and aids in the maintenance of healthy skin, and strong bones and teeth. Beta-carotene is essential for optimal eye health and can help prevent nightblindness, as well as supports white blood cells in fighting infections. Beta-carotene is also involved in hearing, taste, and normal fetal development. Manganese is associated with strong bones, skin integrity, and blood sugar control, in ad dition to its antioxidant properties. Additionally, cucumbers contain a variety of flavonoid antioxidants, which also works to decrease free radicals and reduce unwanted inflammation in the body.

Weight control

A one cup serving of fresh cucumbers has less than 16 calo ries. Cucumber is comprised of 95% water, which adds vol ume and hydration to your meal with very few calories. Eat ing more cucumber and other fresh vegetables is linked with lower body weight, increased energy, and lower risk of obe sity, diabetes, and heart disease.

How to Select and Store

Choose cucumbers that are firm, with smooth rounded edges and a deep green color. Avoid any that are yellow, have soft spots, or wrinkled tips. Cucumbers can be stored in the refrig erator for up to several days.

How to Enjoy

Cucumbers are delicious eaten out-of-hand or as pickles. Their mild flavor and crunchy texture make them a welcome addition to any salad or dish. Other ways to enjoy cucumbers include:

• Use cucumber slices in place of crackers for toppings like hummus or salsa

• Dice and mix with other vegetables and herbs in a salad

• Puree fresh cucumbers with tomatoes and onions for an easy cold gazpacho soup

• Use thinly sliced cucumbers as a salad and sandwich topper

• Peel into ribbons for a garnish and side dish

• Combine thinly sliced cucumbers and buttered bread for a simple sandwich

• Shred and add to yogurt for a Greek dip

• Add cucumber slices and mint leaves to water for a refresh ing beverage

• Dice and mix with tomatoes and feta cheese

Enjoy delicious Florida seedless cucumbers today. With their mild flavor and crisp crunch, cucumbers are a nutritious treat for your palate and your body.

SELECTED REFERENCES

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/vh031 http://www.whfoods.com

LIVING THE LIGHTSEY LEGACY

By Melissa Nicoles

A favorite book of mine has and always will be Patrick D. Smith’s “A Land Remembered.” In this book the author talks about having everything that he could materialistically have and wishing he could send it all back and live a life he left behind. He has anger with the fact that he can’t undo what greed of money let him do. He remembers the land as it was instead of what it had become, a time when life was simple. I think we get so wrapped up in modern day technology that we sometimes forget the value of hard work, and the love of the land around us. The sunsets in the woods surrounded by nature and peace, the land untouched, the days in cow pens and the camaraderie agriculturists have among themselves are all things we take for granted. In this book, Patrick D. Smith told a story that is truly coming to life here in Florida every single day. The cowboy is becoming a thing of the past, cattle ranches are being sold and the land developed, technology is taking over, we have a generation growing up that doesn’t know the value of hard work. Between the loss of citrus trees to greening and cattle ranches to development, Florida’s ag riculture industry is in trouble.

I recently went to work cows and Clint Lightsey and his kids were part of our crew that day. I’ve known Clint for many years, yet it was the first time I had seen him firsthand working cows with his kids. As the day went on, I was amazed at the work ethic of Clint and Jessica Lightsey’s children. At lunchtime, as we sat and ate, they didn’t get out cell phones, they carried on conversations with the rest of the crew about industry prob lems and shared stories, something you don’t often see hap pening anymore. Clint mentioned that he found it hard to find dayworkers who wanted to work and listened and actually showed up, so instead of relying on them he started taking his children with him and it turns out they are the most reli able cow crew, fence builders and day workers he has found.

Clint is the son of Cary and Marcia Lightsey of Lake Wales. He grew up working with his dad at the ranch. From a young age he would help work cows, build fences, help with the citrus groves, hay baling and with the watermelon crops that the family had at that time. The Lightsey family is the epit

ome of conservation and of agriculture. Clint has been ac tively involved with the hunts and managing the deer at the private island located in the middle of Lake Kissimmee that the Lightsey family owns, Brahma Island. To say he was born into agriculture is pretty accurate. His entire life he has had his “hands dirty” working hard and learning every aspect of the family businesses. Clint attended ABAC after high school, receiving a degree in Animal Science, and returned home where he bought his own herd of cattle, Heart CJ Cattle. Clint continued to work on the family ranch and helped many other Central and South Florida cattle ranchers work their cattle. Clint married Jessica in 2002. Jessica comes from a family who also raised cattle. Clint and Jessica both grew up show ing market steers at the Polk County Youth Fair, yet they didn’t officially meet until one day at the cow pens when Jessica was assisting the vet.

In 2011 Clint decided to branch out and start a fencing busi ness where he builds fences for South Florida Water Man agement District, The Nature Conservancy, Polk County, Lightsey Cattle Company and many other local ranchers. Clint is still hands on with LCC and helps work cows, order cattle medicine, and manage deer on the island. He does a lot of the land management, burning and timber work for the family. Clint also saw an opportunity to get his insurance license and begin selling insurance that helps the local farmers, ranchers and landowners. Clint is with Agrilliance out of Winter Haven. He sells P,R,F (Pasture, Rangeland, Forage) Crop insurance, Hurricane insurance (for nurseries), and Apiculture insurance. This is an industry Clint is very passionate about as he knows it helps protect the future of Florida’s agricultural industry.

Clint and Jessica have six children, 4 girls and 2 boys. Jes sica said “the kids grew up riding in front of Clint until they were old enough to ride on their own and when they weren’t old enough to ride they took naps in strollers on the catwalk in the cow pens.” Jessica has homeschooled all six of the children, Bailey and Morgan, the two oldest, are twins who are attending Warner University on soccer scholarships. Bai

ley plans to major in Agriculture and minor in Business. She hopes to work to help save the land and legacy of the rancher in Florida. Morgan plans to major in Ministry and minor in Ag riculture. Hattie is a Senior and plays soccer for Lake Wales High School. She also has her own herd of Registered Brah man cattle that she shows. Hattie helps her dad with fence jobs and working cattle. She is also an incredible horseman and enjoys breaking horses. She is currently breaking a pure bred Florida Cracker stallion and filly for Eagle Haven Ranch (on Lake Kissimmee.) Hattie plans to continue to work on the family ranch and with her dad and other local ranches. Hanna is the youngest of the Lightsey daughters. She is a sopho more and plays varsity soccer and lacrosse for Lake Wales High School. Hanna is also actively involved in helping Clint with fence jobs and ranch work. She plans on attending col lege after high school and working in the agriculture industry. Gus is the older of the two sons. Gus has down syndrome and was blessed to have no other health issues so he is treated the same as the rest of the children and has his own horse he rides to work cows. Gus also has his own registered Brahman cattle that he shows on his own. Ryder is the youngest of the Lightsey children. He is with Clint on a daily basis and there to help work cows, build fence and even work on equip ment. Ryder also shows Purebred Brahman cattle that he has raised. Ryder says his plans are to continue to learn from his Daddy and Grandpas and he hopes to help run the ranch one day to keep the Lightsey legacy going.

Clint, Jessica and the kids are also actively involved in Out door Dream Foundation (ODF), which provides hunting and fishing opportunities to terminally ill children. These hunts are usually a bucket list item for children who have never ex perienced the thrill of getting a big buck or bass. Clint has been on seven mission trips and plans on attending one in the spring, joining the twins on a trip to Honduras to teach the people there about agriculture and how to grow crops and become self-sufficient. Clint includes the children in his day-to-day work because that is how he was raised. He wants them to know the industry, to know how to work hard, drive equipment, ride horses, work and doctor cows, how to rope and most importantly to put God first and let everything else fall into place. Clint has taught them if you start something give it 110% and don’t quit, a lesson so many of us could learn. The life Clint and Jessica have created for their children is one that very much parallels A Land Remembered’s early days before development took over. The Lightseys are work

ing hard to raise children who value hard work, the land and the simple things in life. They work together as a family and make one heck of a team. When we look back in 30 years, we will remember the valiant efforts of Clint and his family to keep cattle ranching alive because the values he is teaching his six children are what it will take to do just that.

“At the end of a day of working cows, driving a herd back, regardless if everything went perfect in the pens that day or not, sometimes I look around and see the deer and turkey off in the distance, I hear the birds in trees nearby and I look back at my son and grandchildren and see 7th and 8th generation Florida cattle ranchers and I don’t know that life can get any better than that. I am proud of my family, and I am proud of their mission to keep Conservation Florida going,” said Cary Lightsey.

Earning a Private Pesticide Applicator License

By Jim Frankowiak

Do you need to apply restricted use pesticides to your or your employer’s farm or business? Do you produce an agricultural commodity such as food crops, or nursery and greenhouse plant materials, etc.? If you or your employer owns or leases the land on which restricted use pesti cides need to be applied and agricultural com modities are grown, you need a Private Applica tor license.

The Private Applicator license requires appli cants to take and pass two exams, the General Standards CORE Exam and the Private Applica tor Exam with a minimum score of 70%.

There are three ways to prepare for exams: study manuals, exam review classes and self-paced online classes. The study materials should be utilized in conjunction with exam prep classes and online courses.

The study manuals can be purchased from the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Ag ricultural Sciences (UF/IFAD) Extension Book store at the links below. Read and study the CORE and Private Agriculture Applicator manu als. Answering the questions at the end of each chapter will help you become familiar with the type and structure of questions on the exam.

• CORE study guide –   http://ifasbooks. ifas.ufl.edu/p-104-applying-pesticides-correct ly-a-guide-for-pesticide-applicators-core.aspx

• Private Agriculture Applicator study guide – http://ifasbooks.ifas.ufl.edu/p-118-pri vate-applicator-agricultural-pest-control.aspx

• Self-paced online exam prep courses can be accessed at: https://ifas-hilllsborough. catalog.instructure.com/browse/vegetableproduction

• Hillsborough County Extension offers an Exam Review session with exams immediate ly following the class. These exam reviews oc cur several times a year. Extension Agents also

offer reviews for other pesticide license categories. Check the Extension Upcoming Events at: https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/hillsborough/

If a review is not offered in your area within your needed timeframe, contact Wael Elwakil, Fruit and Vegetable Production Agent, at 813/744-5519, Ex tension 54134 or email him at: wael.elwakil@ufl.edu to help locate upcoming CORE and Private Applicator classes.

Herd Bull Selection

Purchasing bulls can be fun and nerve-wracking all at the same time. But keeping a few key points in mind as you go into the bull buying process can ease some of that anxiety. One of the most important reproductive management deci sions for the cow herd is herd bull selection. Here are some important points to consider (note, this is not an all-inclusive list):

• Establish Priorities – Every operation is unique. Concentrate on those factors which stand to have the largest impact on profitability for your operation (sale weight, % calf crop weaned, carcass merit, etc.).

• Match Your Environmental Challenges & Manage ment Practices – Performance is a function of both genet ics and environment/management. A bull may have all the genetic potential in the world, but environmental challenges and poor management (heat stress, forages, feed resources, health program, etc.) can negate that potential.

• Take Advantage of Heterosis (Hybrid Vigor) – Re search has proven that heterosis, or hybrid vigor, is the im provement shown by crossbred animals over straight bred animals. For decades, Florida’s cow herds are typically made up of crossbred cows that are bred to purebred bulls (of a different breed than the make-up of the cows). Crossbred cows have the advantage of their maternal heterosis. Then their calves, sired by the purebred bull, experience addition al hybrid vigor. Research has shown that an additional 28% calf weight is raised by crossbred calves raised by crossbred cows than those of straight-bred cows. Use a purebred bull that will complement your cowherd’s breed type.

• Really look at EPD and Performance Data – Ex pected Progeny Differences (EPD) predict how a bull’s calves will compare to calves of the average bull of the same breed. Breed associations establish breed averages to show how in

dividual bulls compare to the rest of the breed in each EPD category. Current breed averages and information on how to use EPDs are included in breed association sire summaries, which are available on most major breed association web sites. EPDs are available for many traits of economic impor tance. The introduction of economic indexes which combine several related traits and their economic values into one EPD are available to assist with simultaneous improvement in multiple traits which impact areas such as carcass merit and post-weaning profit.

• Look at the Bulls – While EPDs can provide a wealth of information about the genetic potential of a bull, it is still critical to visually inspect bull prospects prior to the sale. Not all important traits have EPDs like disposition, eye lesions, structural soundness, fleshing ability, etc.

• Make Sure He is Healthy – A reputable bull seller should be able to produce veterinary records for a Breeding Soundness Exam (BSE) and protection against venereal dis eases. Even virgin bulls should be tested and/or vaccinated against venereal diseases such as trich, Johne’s, BVD and campylobacter. Talk to your veterinarian about what health considerations you should have prior to purchasing a bull and get assurances from your reputable seller.

• You Get What You Pay For – The value of the right bull cannot be underestimated. Investments in good genet ics will pay dividends both short and long term through the influence the bull has on each calf crop as well as his daugh ters that are retained in the herd.

For more information about bull selection, contact Bridget Stice, at bccarlis@ufl.edu or (863) 588-2697 or contact your local County Extension Agent.

NEWS BRIEFS

Compiled by Jim Frankowiak

FDACS Estimates Hurricane Ian Agricultural Impact

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Servic es (FDACS) has released a preliminary damage assessment for agriculture following Hurricane Ian. The assessment esti mates losses to agriculture production and infrastructure to range from $ 1.1 to $1.9 billion.

Prescribed Fires Scheduled by Water Management District

The Southwest Florida Water Management (District) is con ducting prescribed burns through December on the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve as a means to reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control. The preserve is located south of Cross Creek Boulevard between U.S. Highway 301 and Morris Bridge Road near Thonotosassa.

Irrigation System Checkups

Advised

Now that the most pressing needs resulting from Hurricane Ian have been addressed, it is time to check irrigation systems for any physical damage, leaks and controller batteries, if ap plicable. You should also make sure your sprinkler settings are correct. Overlooking this system checkup could result in sur prisingly high utility bills.

U.S. Trade Representative to Help Farmers with Fair Trade issues

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has announced actions to assist the competitiveness of pro ducers of seasonal and perishable produce in the southeast ern U.S. The USTR is to establish a private sector industry advi sory panel to recommend measures to assist producers. That panel, the USTR and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will work with members of Congress to develop possible ad ministrative actions and legislation of benefit to the industry.

Florida Universities among Best in the World

The University of Florida (UF), Florida State University (FSU), the University of Miami (UM) and the University of South Flor ida (USF) are among the “2023 Best Global Universities,” ac cording to rankings recently released by U.S. News & World Report. The rankings covered more than 2,000 schools and were based on academic research and reputation.

NOAA Issues Winter Weather Outlook

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has issued its winter weather forecast and is predicting warm er-than-average temperatures for the Gulf Coast and eastern seaboard. The agency also noted drought development is ex pected for the Southeastern U.S.

Resources such as drought.gov and climate.gov provide tools to better understand and plan for climate-driven hazards.

Check Your Irrigation System Timer

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is reminding residents to check the timers on their irrigation system controllers now that daylight saving time is over. This is also a good time to make sure irrigation system timers are set correctly to ensure that the systems operate consistently with year-round water conservation measures.

All 16 counties throughout the District’s boundaries are on year-round water conservation measures, with lawn watering limited to twice-per-week unless your city or county has a dif ferent schedule or stricter hours. Local governments maintain ing once-per-week watering by local ordinance include Citrus, Hernando, southern Hillsborough, Pasco and Sarasota coun ties and the cities of Dunedin, Longboat Key, Sarasota and Venice.

America’s First Thanksgiving

Every year, as Thanksgiving approaches, there are articles written and splashes of news videos about how to avoid ar guments and debates around the family table for the holiday celebration.

Evidently, in many households, distant relatives who have otherwise been unspoken to throughout the year show up for a feast that includes not just turkey and mashed potatoes, but also heaping helping of arguments, sometimes slipping into shouting matches, over politics, religion, and, of course, football.

Often when angry words get cast, feelings get hurt, and cous ins depart in a huff, bound and determined with a newfound personal commitment to be better prepared next year with a complete and exhaustive research on all things Google about the topic at hand that caused the fight and frustration!

Like we sometimes hear at football games, the chant being uttered while walking to the car is “wait ‘till next year!”

With such anxiety coursing through the veins of some folks, even as they approach the table awaiting the asking of bless ings before the meal, and melee, can commence, it’s no won der there are so many articles written and admonitions made about avoiding certain subjects which might provoke a family squabble!

I’ll leave to others the suggestions for proper social interac tion for such holiday affairs. I am, though, good for offering one fine topic for debate which hopefully might provoke some intriguing interest in history, both that of our country as well as our fine state of Florida.

It’s not concerning the proverbial discourse overheard in modern times about who should get most of the credit and admiration for the Thanksgiving feast. People do, after all, have strong feelings over Pilgrims and Indians (or Native Americans). Nor is it about the logistics or location as to where the Pilgrims actually left and eventually arrived on their peril ous voyage.

Instead, the debate du jour, is actually whether America’s first Thanksgiving actually took place in Plymouth. You know, near Plymouth Rock, where the Mayflower landed!

In case you haven’t heard, historians are adamantly suggest ing, if not outright proclaiming, that the real first Thanksgiving celebration on these shores was right here in Florida; specifi cally, St. Augustine.

The thought that America’s first Thanksgiving took place in St. Augustine came to light about 40 years ago. Every so often you’ll hear a mention of it, but it seems nobody wants to be too loud with the story lest they get called the “Grinch who stole Thanksgiving,” as did the guy who first “discovered” the Florida connection.

Michael Gannon was his name, and he was both a Priest and historian serving in St. Augustine when he uncovered the event which has been pegged as occurring about 55 years before the Pilgrims landed in Massachusetts back in 1620.

Over the years, it’s been rather quietly and generally accept ed that some 800 Spanish settlers arrived in Florida on Sep tember 8, 1565. So glad they were to finally step foot onshore, they celebrated with a Mass of Thanksgiving and then shared a meal with the native Timucuan Indians of the Seloy tribe.

Providing credibility to the notion of our nation’s First Thanks giving having been held in Florida is that even our National Park Service is now recognizing the historic event. It suggests that the Pilgrims got the credit because the “British forces won out over those of Spain and France for mastery over the continent.’

Probably that’s why George Washington recommended a yearly day of thanksgiving celebration to be held November 26, and years later Abraham Lincoln officially established it as such to be held on the last Thursday in November.

Just in case you’re wondering what food might have been en joyed with that St. Augustine celebration, it likely was not tur key, nor certainly not cranberry sauce. The National Park Ser vice suggests it was what the Spaniards already had onboard the ship; a tasty stew of salted pork and garbanzo beans, ac companied by hard sea biscuits and red wine.

Personally, I’m hoping the Timucuans brought along some turkey anyway, and maybe some maize (corn), too!

John Dicks is both a Lawyer and Businessman, including an interest in farming. He and his family have owned a Blue berry Farm and have Agricultural lands which they lease for cattle operations, as John says, “to someone who knows and handles cattle much better than I do!”. John is both a Gator, having received his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida, and a Seminole, with his Law Degree from Florida State University. John serves as Of Counsel to Trinkle Redman, a law firm in Plant City where he also served nine years as City Commissioner, including three terms as Mayor.

by John Dicks | Photo by iStock

By Grady Judd, Polk County Sheriff

JOIN US AT PET FEST

The holiday season is fast approaching, and many people are looking to add a new four-legged member to their families. There’s no better way to find that new furry friend than to join us at our annual Pet Fest – and we are excited to tell you that we are waiving all our pet adoption fees on the day of the event!

This year’s Pet Fest is scheduled for Saturday, December 10, 2022, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at our Animal Control shelter, 7115 De Castro Road in Winter Haven, adjacent to the county landfill, just off the Polk Parkway Winter Lake Road exit.

Our goal at Pet Fest is to adopt out as many forever friends as we can. Adopting a pet for free saves you the $40.00 adoption fee, and includes the following items for more cost savings:

• License tag (regularly $10)

• Microchip (regularly $15)

• Vaccinations (regularly $25)

• Preventive care (regularly $40)

• Sterilization (regularly $65)

We all know everyone loves a new puppy or kitten on Christ mas day, but we want to remind you to take pet adoptions seriously. Adopting a pet is a long-term commitment. Pup pies and kittens grow up to become dogs and cats, and once the newness wears off, people may be tempted to bring the

animals back. Please be responsible and invest in obedience classes, or read books or manuals to learn how to lovingly take care of and train your pet how to properly behave.

Responsible pet ownership also includes, staying up-to-date on vaccines and Rabies licenses and ensuring your pet has ample food, water, and shelter. Remember, everyone loves their pets differently. Some families keep their pets inside their homes while others keep them confined to the yard. As long as the pets’ needs of food, water, and shelter are met, this isn’t considered abuse.

We know everyone loves surprises, but it’s better to be safe than sorry – make sure someone is ready for this responsibil ity before you surprise them with a new pet. We also have lots of mature dogs and cats available for adoption, which make great pets for older adults in need of companionship.

Bring the whole family for a day of fun, even if you’re not ready to adopt. We’ll have vendors, including food and drink trucks, along with face painting, train and rides, and a petting zoo for the kids. We’ll also have Pets with Santa photos! If you’re interested in being a vendor, or just want more information, please contact Polk County Animal Control at 863.577.1762, visit our website www.polkpets.org, or check us out on Face book www.facebook.com/Polk-County-Animal-Control.

USDA EXPEDITING HURRICANE

IAN RECOVERY ASSISTANCE FOR EQIP CONSERVATION PRATICES

By Jim Frankowiak

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is providing pay ments through its conservation program contracts, for Envi ronmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) conservation practices to help agricultural landowners and producers ad dress Hurricane Ian-related resource concerns on their land. To expedite Hurricane Ian disaster recovery, USDA’s Natu ral Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is issuing early start waivers in EQIP emergency declaration counties, to al low commencement of key conservation practices prior to conservation program contract approval, announced Juan C. Hernandez, NRCS State Conservationist. Hillsborough and Polk counties are among 28 counties in Florida identified for EQIP emergency assistance.

Agricultural producers and landowners interested in submit ting an EQIP application, should contact their local NRCS office and provide the following information to submit the following information: Location where assistance is requested (county, city, and major crossroads), contact name and email address, phone number (state if mobile/cell; able to receive calls and/ or text messages) and nature of need for assistance.

Producers and landowners unable to reach their local NRCS office can contact the NRCS State Office at 352/338-9500 or email: SM.NRCS.FL.DISASTERINFO@USDA.GOV.

by Sean Green

Buddy Burner

Camping season is ramping up with the upcoming cool weather and it’s good to have camping supplies ready for those spur of the moment camping trips. Some of us may remember making buddy burners in scouts or summer camps and that is what we will feature this month. Buddy burners are easy to make and efficient for providing a quick way to warm a meal without having to build a big camp fire. The beauty of the buddy burner is that it can be used for cooking and easily extinguished so you can get on with other camp activities such as hiking or fishing. Though our hurricane season will be over this month, buddy burners are a handy item to keep in stock for the loss of electricity, each buddy burner can burn for hours depending on how tightly the cardboard is rolled into the tin can

Wash any residue out of the tin can, remove any paper labels, and allow it to dry. Measure the height of the tin can, (typically about 1 ¼ “)

Cut corrugated cardboard (across the corrugation) to a width that is equal to the height of the tin can (1 ¼ “)

* you should be able to see the corrugation holes along the edge of the cardboard *

Tightly roll the cardboard into the tin can to fill the entire can Wedge a small scrap piece of cardboard into the center of the can, (this will be a wick and make it easy to light)

• Melt the wax with a double boiler

• Fill a large pot with water

• Fill a small pot with wax

• Place the small pot of wax into the large pot of water (this is a double boiler)

• Boil the water to melt the wax, make sure water does not get inside the small pot of wax

When the wax has melted, carefully pour the wax over the cardboard into the tin can until all the cardboard is covered.

Light the buddy burner wick to produce flame. Extinguish the fire with the lid from the tin can to starve it of oxygen.

A Closer Look

Eastern Mistletoe (Phoradendron leucarpum ))

the toxins and include the berries as a food source, conse quently making the birds the main player in seed disburse ment. Once the seeds are dispersed and germinate, they de velop a root system that tunnels through the bark of the tree to tap into the xylem and phloem for nutrients. Mistletoe uses its own leaves for photosynthesis and is not dependent on the host for energy, but only for nutrition. Though it may seem this parasitic plant would destroy a forest if unchecked, it’s rare that the mistletoe is solely responsible for the death of a tree. It’s more likely, that a sick or injured tree will not survive an infestation because it cannot afford to share nutrition when it is already in a compromise state.

I hope our readers have managed to make it through our storm season with minimal consequence. As the hiking trails began to open again and I got the chance to look around, I was amazed with the trees that were downed. Some were large and looked healthy, while others were no surprise. There are many cool things to find on a downed tree. What I was looking for was a patch of mistletoe that I could use as a model for my artwork and the added benefit of luring in an unexpected kiss. With Christmas right around the corner, it felt like it was the perfect quest. This month were taking a closer look at mistletoe, a plant we are probably familiar with but may often disregard.

Mistletoe is a parasitic plant in the order “Santalales” which includes the genus “Santalum” from which the order is named and commonly known as sandalwood. The term “mistletoe,” however, is a general term used to reference any number of parasitic plant species. Parasitic plants get some or all the nu trition they need by robbing it from other plants. This distinc tion is known as parasitism and though it can result in the de struction of its host, some parasitic plants can be considered beneficial. Some parasitic plants are general opportunists and will affect a large variety of plants while others have coevolved with a particular species and in some examples have a “symbiotic” or mutually beneficial existence with each other. European mistletoe (Viscum album) is thought to be the spe cies originally referenced by the term “mistletoe.” When we read about it in historic documents, we find that it was intro duced to North America via California at the turn of the 20th century. Eastern mistletoe (Phoradendron leucarpum) is our North American native species and belongs to a different ge nus (Phoradendron); both however, belong to the same family “Santalaceae.” The two species can be distinguished by the leaves and berries. European mistletoe has oval leaves with smooth edges and white berries in clusters of no more than six. Our native Eastern mistletoe has short round leaves and clusters of 10 or more white berries.

All mistletoe are obligate parasites, which means they can not survive without their host tree. If the host tree dies, the mistletoe dies with it. Eastern mistletoe (Phoradendron leu carpum) is also commonly known as the oak mistletoe for its historic abundance among various species of oak, though certainly not restricted to oak, with over 60 known host trees documented. These two genera of mistletoe found in North America (Phoradendron) and (Viscum) are regarded as “true mistletoe” by forest pathologists, distinguishing both from the dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium) which is another para sitic plant, but not what you might imagine when you hear the term “mistletoe.” In fact, it only infects conifers in the Pinaceae family such as pine and cypress. Unlike true mistletoe, dwarf mistletoe has scale leaves that are so small, the plant is con sidered “leafless,” are dwarfed in size by true mistletoe and do not have the legendary following of true mistletoe.

Mistletoe berries are toxic to humans if ingested and although not deadly, would certainly be problematic for domestic ani mals such as dogs, cats, and horses. Birds are not affected by

As mentioned earlier, birds love this plant for its berries. It is by grand design that the birds are rewarded for dispersal of the seeds. Additionally, our beautiful native Great Purple Hair streak (Atlides halesus) caterpillar relies on the mistletoe as its primary host plant, much like the milkweed is primary host for the Monarch caterpillar. As we ease out of summertime, the hairstreak caterpillars will be feeding on the mistletoe leaves at the tops of trees. The mistletoe is the sole source of food for these caterpillars, and they will eat the leaves through every stage of development leading up to pupation. Like the Monarch, the hairstreak caterpillars store toxins from the plant in their body for protection but unlike the monarch, they do not present warning colors and instead rely in cam ouflage to avoid predators. When the caterpillars are done feeding through their development, they will migrate to leaf litter at the base of the tree to pupate and emerge as adults in early spring.

It’s not only animals that benefit from mistletoe. This plant has a long and mysterious role in human history. Legend has it that Mistletoe was sent to earth by the gods and a bird, the mistle thrush (Turdus viscivorus) was the messenger assigned the task. The Celtic Druids believed mistletoe was the es sence of the sun god Taranus and regarded mistletoe and any tree hosting it as most sacred. Prized above all else was when mistletoe was found growing on their holiest of trees, the oak. To the Druids, the oak tree is a symbolic representa tion of God, and the mistletoe growing in the oak represented human dependence on God.

Because mistletoe was revered as a gift from the gods it was thought to have spiritual powers that could ward off evil, re store health, increase fertility, and protect from poison. Our American tradition of hanging mistletoe over the doorway may come to us from a German tradition of using it to ward off evil spirits in a haunted house. It was thought that in doing so ghosts and other evil spirits are forced to reveal themselves and answer any question the peasants asked. It was also thought that hanging mistletoe over the doorway in winter was a catchall for good fortune. We can only speculate about custom of kissing under the mistletoe. Historians suggest that that tradition may come to us from Viking traditions as mistle toe is associated with Frigga, the Norse goddess of love.

In “The Prose Edda” an old Norse textbook thought to be writ ten by Icelandic scholar Snorri Sturluson, there is a story that details the events leading up to the custom of kissing under the mistletoe demanded by Frigga herself. Some traditions specify that a berry should be removed from the plant with each kiss and when there are no more berries, there are no more kisses.

In North America, the legendary Christmas season power of mistletoe is channeled through Eastern mistletoe (Phoraden dron leucarpum). Most retail sprigs of this mistletoe species are imported to Florida from Texas, but it grows here just as well and if you take a closer look when you go on your next hike, you can have a fresh spring for some Christmas season magic.

by Sean Green | Photos by April Green

POLLINATOR PLANTS THAT SURVIVED HURRICANE IAN

In our area of Polk County, Hurricane Ian produced Category 1 winds and associated rainfall. Local flooding and loss of pow er were experienced by many. And yet there is hope in a gar den, and one local garden filled with pollinator plants offered a bit of cheer and hope on the morning after Ian’s visitation!

The following autumn-blooming plants in this garden sur vived the storm; not surprisingly, many are Florida native shrubs and wildflowers, while others are Florida-Friendly non-native plants. Happily, it did not take long for butterflies and bees (and a hummingbird) to resume their daily nourish ment.

NATIVE POLLINATOR PLANTS:

Rosinweed is such a reliable wildflower, blooming from spring through fall and sporadically during mild winters as well. Be cause of its height (up to 3-4 foot stems), some individual plants were leaning quite a bit from the hurricane winds. In the morning, they were easily propped up to vertical positions by using nature’s “crutches” and were still blooming (See how to make your own nature’s crutch at the end of this article).

Goldenrod. Chapman’s Goldenrod was already staked up. It tossed and turned during the storm, but in the morning was erect and still holding onto golden blooms!

Stoke’s Aster and Purple Coneflower. These perennial wild flowers were already decreasing seasonal bloom, but the foliage on all these plants was just fine and many of these plants still held onto existing blooms and new flower buds.

Georgia Aster (native). The deep purple flowers of this fall bloomer contrast beautifully with the bright yellow of nearby wildflowers. This plant did lean over quite a bit after the storm but was easily propped back up and is still looking fine on day five after the hurricane.

Greeneyes. What hurricane? Other Native Pollinator Plants that survived: Firebush (this large shrub took a beating, but with a bit of pruning of dam aged branches, is recovering by day five. In fact, a humming bird was observed visiting the firebush the morning after the hurricane! Other survivors: Georgia Calamint, Simpson’s Stopper, Sparkleberry, Rusty Lyonia, Silver Saw Palmetto (one inground and one in large container), Native Petunia and Cot tony Goldenaster.

Native Butterfly Host Plants that Survived: Native milkweeds: Aquatic, Swamp and Whorled; Frog Fruit, Corkystem Pas sionvine, Privet Senna

NON-NATIVE FLORIDA-FRIENDLY POLLINATOR PLANTS: Heirloom Red Pentas. This large shrub with brilliant red flow ers is a butterfly magnet! In this yard, two of four had fallen over and need propping up as well as adding soil back to the resulting soil void (see end of article). They were watered back in, and on day five are looking healthy and blooming still. Dwarf Mexican Sage and Mystic Spires Salvia. These two spe cies of Florida-Friendly salvia did extremely well. Both were in containers and were laid on their sides next to a hedge.

TIPS ON ADDRESSING SMALL STORM-DAMAGED POLLINATOR PLANTS:

If a plant has been partially uprooted, you will note that there is probably a void of soil around the stem especially on the opposite side of the plant’s leaning direction. Try to prop up the plant in a vertical position, then add soil to the areas of void. To avoid air pockets, tap the soil in with a spade or small shovel. Do not create compaction of your soil by stomping on the ground, and do not add soil above the natural soil line. Water the plant and observe in the coming days.

If plants appear to have damage to blooms or foliage, prune away the damaged material. Also consider dead-heading any spent blooms to reduce weight on the end of stems while the plant recovers from stress.

As you remove hurricane debris from your garden, make sure to clear heavy leaf build-up away from your plants. Monitor all plants in the upcoming days and weeks for damage that may not be evident yet.

How to make “nature’s crutches”: This is an easy and costfree way to prop up leaning plants. It is especially good for small plants, such as wildflowers. From the many dead twigs and small branches that now adorn your yard, select several that have multiple branching above a straight stem. Cut into

sizes you need and gently place the straight part of the stick next to your plant. The plant’s stem will nestle between the multiple branching for support.

This article was written by Master Gardener Volunteer Molly Griner under supervision of the Master Gardener Volunteer Coordinator and Residential Horticulture Agent Anne Yasalo nis.

For more information, contact UF/IFAS Extension Polk Coun ty at (863) 519-1041 or visit us online at http://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/ polk. The Plant Clinic is open Monday-Friday, 9:00 am-4:00 pm to answer your gardening and landscaping questions. Give us a call or email us at polkmg@ifas.ufl.edu.

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

The Florida Master Gardener Volunteer Program is a volun teer-driven program that benefits UF/IFAS Extension and the citizens of Florida. The program extends the vision of the Uni versity of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Scienc es, all the while protecting and sustaining natural resources and environmental systems, enhancing the development of human resources, and improving the quality of human life through the development of knowledge in agricultural, hu man and natural resources and making that knowledge ac cessible.

An Equal Opportunity Institution.

Red Rocket Firecracker Plant: The long arching stems with their bright red multiple flowers were standing tall and strong on the morning after Ian!

After Ian, Pine Island producers get UF/IFAS Extension help, information

By Brad Buck

Most people probably know about the struggles faced by residents and businesspeople in Lee County and the rest of Fort Myers in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian.

But you might not know that farms dot the seaside landscape of Pine Island, off the Fort Myers mainland. It’s an agrarian oasis, where mangoes, palms and other tropical plants grow. UF/IFAS Extension agents and scientists are helping Pine Is land’s small farmers as they struggle to piece together their lives and livelihoods since Hurricane Ian sideswiped the is land on Sept. 28.

Two agents, Lindsey Wiggins and Stephen Brown are pro viding significant science-based support to producers on the Island.

Before the storm hit, Wiggins, a livestock agent whose coun ties include Lee, Hendry, Glades, Charlotte and Collier, con tacted Lee Keener, who owns Gatherings Grove. At his small operation, Keener grows mangoes and keeps sheep.

As it happened, about a month before the storm hit, Wiggins visited Keener at his farm for an assessment. Wiggins pointed out toxic weeds that needed to be removed so the sheep would not eat them.

“Just like the rest of us, watching from the mainland, my heart hurt for the folks impacted by Hurricane Ian,” Wiggins said. “I was particularly worried about the ranchers and farmers on Pine Island that I have grown to know through our interactions at Extension programs and on-farm consultations.”

“I called a few of them starting Thursday morning, right af ter the storm,” she said. “Cell service was non-existent in my home county, Glades County, as well as on Pine Island. It was Friday before I could reach a cattle rancher on the island, who made it clear just how much damage they suffered. Unfortu nately, livestock were running loose as the storm surge just pushed fences right out of the ground, feed and ranch supply stores were temporarily closed due to power outages and loss of water supply, and the standing water left very little forage for the livestock to graze.”

“She (Wiggins) called us the day after the storm to check on us, and Lindsey helped us develop a plan in case we needed to evacuate our livestock off of the island,” Keener said.

Talking to Keener by phone was necessary because Wiggins couldn’t actually go to their farm because the bridge to Pine Island was wiped out by the storm for about a week. Once a temporary bridge was built, and the first day the bridge was open, Wiggins brought Keener feed and hay for his livestock from the Florida Cattlemen’s Foundation.

“Fortunately, the Florida Cattlemen’s Foundation had a disas ter relief ‘Point of Distribution’ at the Arcadia Stockyard with hay, feed, fencing materials, water, MREs and fuel,” Wiggins said. “Florida Cattlemen’s Association (FCA) members and UF/IFAS livestock Extension agents helped distribute these supplies to producers in need; including those on Pine Island.” Wiggins is just one of many Extension agents and UF/IFAS scientists helping residents on Pine Island and the rest of Lee County.

Brown, the commercial horticulture agent for UF/IFAS Exten sion Lee County, took samples of palm trees from Keener’s farm and from Jason Cole at Gopal Nursery. He sent two slic es of palm to Braham Dhillon, a plant pathologist at the UF/ IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, where Dhillon tests the palms for diseases.

Dhillon didn’t just stay in his lab, he trekked to Fort Myers to survey the damaged palm trees himself. He, his lab techni cian Seemanti Chakrabarty, a Master Gardener Volunteer and Brown collected many palm samples from McGregor Boule vard and its side streets in Fort Myers.

They will sample fallen royal palms to determine if any un derlying palm disease contributed to their toppling.

“This will be helpful for those growing palms and those in the landscape industry,” Brown said. “It should help us predict which palms are most vulnerable to high winds -- from a dis ease perspective -- not just hurricanes.

Brown continues to help growers with health of palms includ ing insects, disease and nutritional problems.

“I am surveying damaged palms to assess the effects of the storm and perhaps provide future information on how to best protect palms before a hurricane,” he said.

Brown spent time with Mica McMillan, a UF/IFAS assistant professor of palm horticulture – also at the Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center -- helping her survey dam age done to a wide variety of landscape palms.

“My hope is to rank them in order of hurricane resistance and survivability and the manner in which they succumb, if that is the case,” Brown said. This should assist nursery growers, landscapers, homeowners, landscape designers and archi tects -- and add to the Florida Friendly Landscaping™ data base.

Lee Keener, left, of Gatherings Grove farm on Pine Is land, talks to Stephen Brown, commercial horticulture agent for UF/IFAS Extension Lee County. Like Keener’s farm, many producers on Pine Island were hurt badly by Hurricane Ian. UF/IFAS Extension is providing help and education for the producers.

Lindsey Wiggins, UF/IFAS multicounty livestock agent for Lee, Hendry, Glades, Charlotte and Collier Counties assesses sheep at the Gatherings Grove farm.

Support Our Farmers

By Maggie Fussell

On the calendar September 22 is the first day of Fall. What the calendar doesn’t tell us is that September 22 is the beginning of the busy holiday season. When a person considers all the work it takes to complete their holiday traditions September is not early enough.

This month we celebrate Thanksgiving. It is a time for us to gather with family and friends. A time to reflect on the year and express gratitude. It is also a time to eat good food without counting the calories.

Certain dishes have been a part of the Thanksgiving table for generations and continue to be a favorite to day. There is meat, carbs and pumpkin pie with a dol lop of cool whip. However, most American homes are not raising their own turkeys for Thanksgiving dinner or growing their own sweet potatoes for casserole. The farmers are. A farmer will spend the whole year grow ing food to feed millions of families.

According to the USDA Economic Research Service, in 2021, there were 152,700 acres of sweet potatoes, more than one billion pounds of pumpkins, one million acres of potatoes and 656,340 tons of snap green beans har vested. It takes hard labor and long days to till the soil, harvest the crops, package the produce and transport it to customers.

To get closer to home, the Florida Department of Agri culture states that there are 47,400 farms and ranches

that use 9.7 million Florida acres to grow our food. In 2019, Polk County made up $297 million of Florida's $7.8 billion agriculture product value.

Florida agriculture is important for the world's food supply and is often exported beyond America to coun tries such as Canada and Mexico. But, in stores the fruit and vegetables are imported from other countries due to high demand. One way to buy produce from Florida is to visit a farmers’ market.

To support Florida farmers, Polk County citizens can visit the Downtown Farmers Curb Market in Lakeland. The market is open on Saturday’s from 8a.m. to 2p.m. on Kentucky Avenue. The market features booths of fresh produce from local farms. The Downtown Farm ers Curb Market includes a wide array of fruits and veg etables. For more information on the curb market and their vendors visit https://downtownfarmerscurbmar ket.org/ and remember to support your local farmers.

In this season of giving thanks, let us remember to count our blessings and thank our farmers. Those in volved in agriculture work consistently throughout the year, including holidays, to ensure that people have the food that they need. Thank you, farmers, for your dili gent labor to produce food for America.

BUILDING SUPPLIES

METAL ROOFING

Thousands of 8ft. & 10ft. sheets. In Stock. Prices from $6 and up. Custom lengths available. 813-752-7088 ask for Ferris.

ALUMINUM

We have all your aluminum needs! Screen Room, carports & awnings. Call Blake (813) 752-3378

WINDOW SCREENS

We make window screens of all sizes available in different frame colors. Call Ted(813) 752-3378

CABINETS

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

VINYL SIDING

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

MOBILE HOME SUPPLIES

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

CALL FOR A WINDOW QUOTE.

We are a MI Windows dealer. Our windows are energy star, lifetime warranty. Call Broke & Poor 813-752-3378

FARM EQUIPMENT

I4 POWER EQUIPMENT

Trade-Ins Welcomed, Service Department Available. Exit 22 • S. Frontage Rd. Plant City 813-752-4459

GRIBALDI-SALVIA SB3947

Sickle bar mower. Good condition and ready to work. $1,500 Call Alvie 813-759-8722

JOHN DEERE

Looking for your new tractor? Come see us at Everglades Farm Equipment. evergladesfarmequipment.com 2805 SR 60 West, Plant City 813-737-1660

OVERSTOCK SPECIAL

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2021 MASSEY FERGUSON

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2016 MASSEY FERGUSON 2606H

65hp, 2wd grading tractor with Bush Hog RBX780 box blade. 178 hours. $29,500 Call Avie 813-759-8722

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CITRUS PACKING HOUSE

Citrus packing house equipment for sale. Mikey Fertilizer Spreader, two wind machines. Call 863-324-2833

USED BALDOR-RELIANCE

Used 7.5 HP pump motor and 119 gal. hold ing-tank. Call LLCA 813-382-8382

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4607 TRACTOR

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USED ZERO TURN MOWERS

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FOR RENT

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TRADE • BUY • SELL?

Polk County Cattle Women

It’s so hard to believe we are already smack dab in the middle of November. Pretty soon 2022 will be nothing but a memory and we’ll be welcoming 2023. In my home, November is a time for Thanksgiving, and we strive to live a life full of thanksgiving every day. We count our blessings and try to name them one by one, but we soon become overwhelmed and surprised at what the Lord has done in our lives.

We’ve had some cooler and drier days sprinkled in between some hot summerlike weather. The grass growth is beginning to slow down, and I’ve seen many rolls of hay on the ground as I drive throughout the county. It’s an extremely busy time of year as farmers and ranchers prepare for Florida’s version of winter during these shorter days.

We would like to extend our most heartfelt gratitude to everyone who supported our cake auction at the PCCA Fall Dinner. For those that may not know, we award three college scholarships each year and your support helps us to play a small part in supporting young people furthering their education and supporting agri culture. We were also overwhelmed with the number of gifts we received to do nate to the Florida Baptist Children’s Home/One More Child. We’re so apprecia tive of your generosity each year as we continue to bless those around us through the blessings we’ve been given.

PCCW members had an amazing time passing out beef samples and sharing our beef stories at the Jr. League of Tampa’s Holiday Gift Market at the Florida State Fairgrounds earlier this month. We collaborated with cattlewomen from all over the state to share our knowledge of cattle ranching in Florida, the benefits of con suming beef as part of a heart healthy diet, and beef by-products.

Looking ahead, PCCW members will get together in December for a holiday cel ebration and reflect on the year behind us. Now is the perfect time to join and come be a part of all that we do! New members are always welcome, and you don’t have to be a part of, or come from, the ranching life to join. We welcome all ladies from all walks of life. Please reach out to me at BuckLD96@gmail.com for more information about our meetings or membership.

As you sit around the table this Thanksgiving and join hands with your family, friends, and neighbors, I pray you are ever mindful of your many blessings. Let us always give thanks for those who came before us, the ones who stand beside us, and The One who goes before us. Happy Thanksgiving!

Till next month,

Leslie Buchanon

Polk County Cattlewomen President