INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
Septmber 2017
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Western & Outdoor Wear, Farm, Ranch & Pet Supplies
Pkwy. 2017 (Hwy. 39 S) Plant City, FL • www.southsidewesternwear.com I T F M M Redman September 23014I TS.F Jim N HE IELD
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V O T E
T H I S
S P E C I A L
E L E C T I O N
LAWRENCE MCCLURE’S Conservative Principles
Cut Wasteful Government Spending
Promote Pro-Growth Economic Development Policies
Defend the Second Amendment
NO Sanctuary Cities or Amnesty for Illegal Aliens
Lobbying Ban for Politicians
Protect the Constitution
Stand Up for our Conservative Values in Tallahassee
“My wife and I have deep roots in this district and serving the people of District 58 would be an honor of a lifetime.”
- Lawrence
Proud Member Of:
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
Political advertisement paid for and approved by Lawrence McClure, Republican, for State House, District 58. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
Septmber 2017
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CONTENTS
SEPTEMBER 2017 | VOL. 12 • ISSUE 11 FOOD AND RESOURCE ECONOMICS PROGRAM COMING TO UF-PLANT CITY
64 Cover Photo by: Melissa Nichols PAGE 12 Redheaded Gardener.
PAGE 38 Mini-Grants PAGE 40 Food Law
PAGE 14 Florida Organic Solutions
PAGE 42 Jack Payne
PAGE 18 Fishing Hot Spots PAGE 22 Rocking Chair Chatter
PAGE 46 John Dicks PAGE 48 Endangered Species
PAGE 28 PAGE 50 ELAPP Lands
Mike Mullins PAGE 32 Water Wise Awards PAGE 35 Honeydew
PAGE 54 Literary Time Machine
PAGE 58 Team Beef PAGE 68 Meet the Minks PAGE 70 Activity
PAGE 71 A Closer Look
PAGE 74 Guardian Soil Solutions PAGE 76 Dianna Barnitt
Hey Readers!
Hidden somewhere in the magazine is a No Farmers, No Food logo. Hunt for the logo and once you find the hidden logo you will be eligible for a drawing to win a FREE No Farmers No Food Sticker and a FREE In The Field T-Shirt. Send us your business card or an index card with your name and telephone number, the number of the page which you found the logo and where on the page you located the logo to the address below
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InTheField® Magazine P.O. Box 5377 • Plant City, Fl. 33566-0042 *Winners will be notified by phone. You Too Can Be A Winner!
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Hillsborough County Farm Bureau 100 S. Mulrennan Rd. Valrico, Fl. Office Hours: Mon. - Fri. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Insurance Services: 813-685-5673 Member Services: 813-685-9121
OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Kenneth Parker....................President Will Womack................Vice President Michelle Williamson..............Treasurer Buddy Coleman..................Secretary DIRECTORS FOR 2016 - 2017 Jake Cremer, Tiffany Dale, Carson Futch, Jim Frankowiak, Chip Hinton, John Joyner, Tony Lopez, Rep. Jake Raburn, Emeritus, Sambahv, Marty Tanner, Vincent Tort, Carl Bauman, Dennis Carlton Jr, Melissa Grimes.
Judi Whitson, Executive Director 813-685-9121 Farm Bureau Insurance Special Agents
Valrico Office 813-685-5673
100 S. Mulrennan Rd., Valrico, FL. 33594 Tommy Hale, CLU, ChFC, CASL, CPCU Agency Mgr. Juile Carlson, John McGuire
Plant City Office 813.752.5577
1302 S. Collins St., Plant City, FL 33563 Jeff Summer Bill Williams
Tampa Office 813.933.5440
13103 W. Linebaugh Ave. Tampa, FL.33626 Greg Harrell, Sonia Valladares
AGENCY MANAGER Tommy Hale WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
ININTTHE FFIELD HE IELDM MAGAZINE AGAZINE
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STAFF Publisher/Photography Karen Berry Senior Managing Editor/ Associate Publisher Sarah Holt Editor-In-Chief Al Berry Editor Patsy Berry Sales Manager Danny Crampton
Letter from the Editor
As I am writing this, we are deep in the clean up of the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. I’m sure many of you were glued to your television right up until you lost power, watching the track of this record breaking hurricane to see when and where landfall would happen and where the storm would hit next. All of Florida was impacted. The largest storm to ever form in the Atlantic basin swept through the Key’s, destroying as many as 25 percent of the homes with as many as 65 percent suffering major damage. The storm reached our area as a category 2, and the eye traveled right through Polk County and the edge of eastern Hillsborough County leaving a record number of power outages in her wake. The massive size of Irma combined with its slow movement caused hurricane force wind gusts to continue for 12 or more hours across much of Florida. Damage from the storm is still being assessed as of this writing, but one thing is certain, there is widespread damage and flooding throughout Florida. Florida is resilient. But the effects of Hurricane Irma are far reaching and the cleanup will continue for some time. It’s a time for neighbors to help neighbors, which we have already seen. If you have little to no damage, ask your neighbor, or friend, or just look for someone who needs help. They are out there, probably knee deep in frustration, damaged or destroyed buildings, water and downed trees. Fields prepared for planting are completely under water, as are pastures, oranges were blown to the ground. Look for higher grocery prices, but don’t blame the farmer and rancher. They have to make a living and Irma just put a huge dent in their income. Until next month
Sarah Holt
The LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. - Numbers 6:25
Sales Al Berry Tina Richmond Danny Crampton Melissa Nichols Taeler Dupre
Creative Director/Illustrator Juan Alvarez Photography Karen Berry Al Berry Staff Writers Al Berry Sandy Kaster James Frankowiak Sean Green Ginny Mink Libby Hopkins Nick Chapman Taeler Dupre Contributing Writers Woody Gore John Dicks
In The Field Magazine is published monthly and is available through local Hillsborough 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 Hillsborough County Farm Bureau and Strawberry Grower’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 Publications, Inc. Any use or duplication of material used in In the Field magazine is prohibited without written consent from Berry Publications, Inc.
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Published by Berry Publications, Inc.
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TWO IMPORTANT ACTION STEPS FOR YOU HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
- Kenneth Parker - President
Dear Readers: There are two things that I would like you to do in the coming weeks. The first has to do with the special election that will take place to replace Florida Representative Dan Raulerson who has resigned from his post for health reasons. Please join with your entire Hillsborough County Farm Bureau Board of Directors that has unanimously endorsed candidate Lawrence McClure and vote for him in the special primary election October 10 and the special general election December 19. Lawrence is a member of our board and a conservative Republican. He and his wife, the former Courtney Newsome, are Dover residents. Lawrence is an owner of Streamline Environmental, a company involved in environmental mitigation, cleanup and petroleum tank removal. He started with Streamline as an employee a decade ago and through hard work and performance became one of the owners of a company that has 20 employees. That nature of his work gives him daily contact with the governmental rules and regulations that closely govern the operations of Streamline.
committee rose to the challenge and performed beyond expectation. Lawrence is the type of representative we need and deserve. Join with me and each of your Farm Bureau board members and vote for Lawrence McClure for State Representative of District 58. My other request is that you contact your U.S. Congressman and ask them to stand up for Florida’s farmers and ranchers in the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement, typically referred to as NAFTA. Preliminary negotiations were favorable to our state’s specialty crop producers who have experienced devastating losses to Mexico in market share and production since NAFTA was enacted. Growers of perishable crops should have access to trade remedies that protect them from injury due to unfair trade practices, such as dumping and subsidization during their production season. If these practices continue, Mexico will ultimately achieve year-round production, which will destroy domestic production across the U. S. – not just the Southeast. We must not let this happen. Please note that our industry is not seeking subsidies, but a level playing field.
Lawrence is running for office to assure the use of common sense prevails; conservative principles are used to keep growing Florida’s economy, create new jobs, balance the budget and make Florida’s schools the best in America.
Support our fruit and vegetable industry and ask your U.S. representatives to urge the current administration to present this perishable and seasonable trade remedy during the next rounds of NAFTA renegotiations.
Your board has seen Lawrence work. He has chaired our building committee that has been charged with overseeing the sale of our former office in Valrico and the acquisition of our new location in Plant City. That is not an easy task since our board demands full and complete accountability and only the best possible return when it comes to your funds. Lawrence and his
Thank you for your support of Lawrence and NAFTA renegotiations.
Kenneth Parker Kenneth Parker - President
100 SOUTH MULRENNAN ROAD • VALRICO, FL 33594 • 813-685-9121 Board of Directors
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Kenneth Parker, President; Will Womack, Vice-President; Michelle WIlliamson Treasurer; Buddy Coleman, Secretary; Dennis Carlton, Jr. Member-at-large, Carl Bauman, Jake Cremer, Tiffany Dale, Carson Futch, Melissa Grimes, Jim Frankowiak, Chip Hinton, John Joyner, Tony Lopez, Lawrence McClure, Jake Raburn, Member Emeritus, Sambahv, Marty Tanner, Vincent Tort Judi Whitson, Executive Director
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THE AG COMMUNITY NEEDS A CHAMPION
NOW THEY HAVE TWO www.YvonneFry.com
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Political advertisement, paid for and approved by Yvonne Fry, Republican, for State Representative, District 58
Your locally grown produce deserves locally made packaging.
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TO PLACE YOUR ORDER 888.395.5000
Redheaded Gardener Desert (Danger) Garden Part II
By Shannon P. Mitchell, The Redheaded Gardener
Hello friends. It’s almost technically the “end of summer” and the danger garden project is still in full swing. Our typical summer rains have slowed me down a little bit, but sometimes I like to actually garden in the rain as it’s a lot cooler than not. I’ve added a few items to my desert (danger) garden. Most of the agaves, aloes yuccas and stapeliads I mentioned in the previous article are thriving. The Stapeliad gigantea or Starfish Cactus put out several magnificent larger than hand-sized blooms during June. My little Lobivia cactus surprised me with some brilliant white 5-6”blooms that were so beautiful they took my breath away. I felt I needed a little more temporary color given the garden’s front and center location in the right of way, so I added some very easy growing succulents found in almost every garden center this time of year. Bright neon pink Purslane and peach Portulaca plants now adorn the larger and smaller crepe myrtle trees that are the focal point diamond beds in the garden installation. One newer variety of Purslane that I chose has yellow and orange pompom double blooms which bring some added texture to the garden. I’m not sure of the name but I found them at Lowe’s and they are quite unique looking. I also like the fact that Purslane can be considered an edible salad herb. They are considered summer annuals so I will need to replace them for fall. This keeps the garden changing for a little variety throughout the seasons.
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Many of the plants in the Desert (Danger) Garden have survived the wet summer pretty well, but the weeds have definitely been abundant. I used regular red and black cedar mulch for the contrast instead of rock because I didn’t feel like struggling with a rock base when weeding, though that might provide better drainage for
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drought tolerant plantings such as cactus. The mulch has been easier to weed overall so I think I will stick with it and renew as necessary. All of the agaves, yuccas and cactuses have increased in size and no rot yet, which I was afraid might happen with the wet season and the cedar mulch. We’ve had lots of mushroom pop ups though, which aren’t causing the landscape planting much trouble. They fade fairly fast. I’ve added a variety of succulents in decorative Mexican/Spanish Talavera pottery including a Madagascar Palm or Pachypodium lamerei and a variegated Aloe to create some more authentic atmosphere. I also purchased a three-tiered aged plant stand and planted it with a variety of mixed succulents such as Kalanchoe sp., Aloes, Stapelia, Jade, trailing variegated Ice plants, a Cissus quadrangularis plant and other assorted succulents. I’m hoping to add a Pony Tail Palm or Beaucarnea recurvata and some Desert Rose or Adenium obesium plants in pots to the design soon. The potted plants serve two purposes. They add a decorative element to the garden but also allow me to plant some varieties of cactuses or plants that might need protection in colder temps. By planting in pots I can bring them in during those brief cold snaps we sometimes get in winter. I’ve purchased some additional Black Diamond Crepe Myrtles to finish the right of way avenue on the other side of my sidewalk so I can carry on the Desert garden diamond brick edging down the street front. Plus it gives me an excuse to buy more Desert (Danger) garden plants to experiment with. My most recent purchase is Yucca elephantipes with large glossy forest green leaves. I’m looking forward to seeing how large it will get. Keep on gardening folks and try new projects. Happy Gardening! WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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MOTHER’S ORGANICS NOW FLORIDA ORGANIC SOLUTIONS; RECOGNIZED FOR COMPLIANCE WITH USDA’S NATIONAL ORGANIC PROGRAM
Mother’s Organics, located on a 52-acre site in Seffner a short distance from the I-4/I-75 interchange, has been a producer of a high-quality grade of organic compost recognized by community gardens, landscapers and home gardeners throughout the Tampa Bay area since its inception in 2005. Changes over the past three years, including process and procedural refinement, “have drawn the attention of commercial resellers, professional soil blenders, turf management companies and large-scale farming operations around Florida,” said company owner David L. Wax. “Our customer base has grown substantially and we have new insight and knowledge regarding commercial production and markets for our products that we did not have a decade ago. Additionally, we have reached a size and level of competence that has offered us the opportunity to expand into several complementary business lines. Collectively, this all suggested the need for a name change that better reflected a higher level of professionalism and a market reach well beyond that of a local organics recycler to that of a regional entity.” Mother’s Organics is now Florida Organic Solutions, Inc., operating through two, new, wholly-owned subsidiaries Florida Organics Recycling, LLC and Florida Organic Compost, LLC. The company will continue to receive green waste at its Seffner facility, but will also offer debris removal, on-site wood grinding and land clearing, “increasing our exposure to real estate developers, site preparation firms, transportation builders and other organizations – both public and private – that have needs for our expanded product and service offerings,” said Wax . “Our goal is to change the way we are perceived by potential clients and provide clarity on the services we now offer.”
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In addition to a new name and the addition of subsidiaries, Florida Organic Solutions has two new senior management team members, Eric Carl and Walt Kirk. Both are executive vice presidents with Kirk overseeing operations and Carl re-
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By Jim Frankowiak
sponsible for finance and administration. Kirk began his career in Alcoa’s management training program, grew up in the transportation business and has been operating heavy equipment for most of his life. Prior to joining Florida Organic Solutions, Carl was Chief Financial Officer and a Principal with Sixteen Palms Health, LLC and a Managing Director with Raymond James & Associates, as well as Bear Stearns & Co. “Our management team is fully committed to unparalleled customer service in all aspects of our operations,” noted Wax. “As our customer base continues to expand, we anticipate operational expansion into one or more market areas in Florida.” To that end, Kirk has expanded the company’s equipment base with an additional grinder and screen as well as loading/earth-moving equipment to meet increasing customer demands. Transportation costs represent a large percentage of operating expenses for both outgoing sales and tipping customers. “That currently limits our tipping market to the Tampa Bay region and our bio-solid-free compost sales market to a 100mile radius of our current location,” said Wax. To help foster the growth and expansion of Florida Organic Solutions, the company pursued and was recently granted certification of its organic compost, Florida’s Premier Compost, through the Organic Materials Review Institute, (OMRI), an internationally recognized, non-profit organization that provides an independent review of products for use in certified organic production and processing. OMRI accepted products are listed on the OMRI Products List©. “The OMRI certification process is comprehensive and notably rigorous,” said Wax. “We are gratified that OMRI has listed our compost as being compliant with organic standards promulgated and enforced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Organic Program regulations.” With this recognition by OMRI, commercial distributors and organic farmers will be able to use Florida’s Premier ComWWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
post as an element in their production in compliance with the USDA and other regulatory bodies, enabling them to retain their respective organic certifications. Florida Organic Solutions receives its feedstock from municipalities, landscapers, tree service companies and individuals, but only accepts green waste. Tarpon Springs, Temple Terrace and Zephyrhills are three of the company’s largest municipal customers. “We do not accept pre-consumer waste or sewage, referred to as bio-solids,” said Wax, noting that limitation is of critical importance to the integrity of Florida Organic Solutions’ Class AA organic compost. Despite recent changes, Wax noted “our commitment to sustainability will continue. We return tens of thousands of cubic yards of green waste to beneficial use annually by removing it from the waste stream, and we will continue to do so going forward.” Additionally, the company will continue its educational outreach in the form of on-site tours or presentations to students, consumers or trade associations. “We firmly believe in spreading the word about the benefits of bio-solid-free organic composts,” said Wax. “That not only includes the diversion of green waste from landfills, but also the beneficial nutrients and support for plant root structures that comes from our compost, an all-natural soil amendment.” For more information about Florida Organic Solutions, Inc., visit: flaorganic.com. Please note that the company’s web site is also in the process of being updated to reflect recently announced expansions.
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TAMPA BAY FISHING REPORT SEPTEMBER 2017 by Capt. Woody Gore
Just maybe we’ll get some nice dryer air this month, because fall is just around the corner. It’s that time of the year when we have to put a jacket back in the boat just in case the wind is blowing on the early morning ride to get bait. Finally the water should cool down and the fish will get a little more excited about being fish. As we continue into the fall the bite should keep getting stronger. You can expect good catches using live bait and artificial lures, all over Tampa Bay.
If you’re interested in some exciting early morning action, tie on a MirrOLure 16MR MirrOMullet Surface Walker or Top Dog Jr. and walk-the-dog across a calm morning grass flat. The anticipation of the next explosive snook strike or the water pushing swirl of a stalking redfish will electrify even the most seasoned angler. A topwater strike on your favorite lure is so exhilarating it’ll almost stop you heart. From past articles, you’ve probably surmised, when it comes to fishing artificial lures are close to my heart. There is something magical about tricking a fish into striking something that looks like natural food or is completely alien looking. I often think the stranger the lure the better chance of getting a strike. Over the years, I’ve used everything imaginable to catch fish. Live baits, artificial lures, and plastic straws; I’ve even used a strip of old white tee shirt to catch spotted sea trout and I’ve come to this conclusion if it has action or looks wounded something’s going to try and eat it. Try your hand at something man-made on your next fishing trip. You’ll be surprised at how many fish you’ll catch and how much fun you’ll have doing it. There are plenty of redfish and snook are all over the area hanging around the grass flats and mangrove shorelines. You can also expect schooling reds to keep moving around the bay and it’s usually fairly easy to find them schooled up on the grass flats or around oyster bars. It’s also the time of the year when some of the big reds show up, you never know if you’re going to a catch one in the slot or one of the giants over 30 inches.
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Capt. Woody Gore (www.captainwoodygore.com)
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Most snook caught average in the 22 to 30 inch range. However, for those who like the night life associated with snook fishing and sometimes the big ones, this is a great time. They’re hanging under residential docks watching the light WWW. INITNHE FIELD MM AGAZINE.COM WWW. THE FIELD AGAZINE.COM
line for a quick meal. Use a shallow diving artificial lure, greenback or free-line a jumbo shrimp. Also, make sure to use a weighty Seaguar 30-40 lb. leader, so you don’t get cut off on the pilings. As for the others, expect some good sized mangrove snapper at the bridges, rock piles, and artificial reefs with some topping out around 3 pounds. Cobia should pop up as usual around markers and buoy’s Mackerel, bluefish, jacks and ladyfish will be feeding on bait schools everywhere. Don’t forget to hang a chum bag over the side then cut up extra greenbacks or threadfins to spark the interest of Spanish macs, blues, and cobia’s. Whenever, you hook-up, always be ready with another rod because other cobias will be following the action. When taking kids fishing, never pass up a chance at ladyfish and jacks because they can certainly make or break a trip. Most children are not interested in fishing, however they are interested in catching and they don’t care what they catch. When you take kids fishing make sure it’s always about them catching fish.
“Give Me a Call & Let’s Go Fishing”
813-477-3814
Captain Woody Gore is the area’s top outdoor fishing guide. Guiding and fishing the west central Florida areas for over fifty years; he offers world class fishing adventures and a lifetime of memories. Multi-boat Group Charters With years of organizational experience and access to the areas most experienced captains, Captain Woody can arrange and coordinate any outing or tournament. Just tell him what you need and it’s done.
Visit his website at: WWW.CAPTAINWOODYGORE.COM send an email to wgore@ix.netcom.com or give me a call at 813-477-3814 ININ TT HE FF IELD AGAZINE HE IELDMM AGAZINE
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Florida has the most nesting pairs of bald eagles outside of Alaska. Greenhouse and nursery products are Florida’s top leading crops financially yielding $1.93 billion in 2008. The Key Deer, the smallest deer in North America, is found mostly on Big Pine Key. Sometimes mistaken for bald eagles, ospreys have distinctive markings that tell the two fish hawks apart. Florida ranks 2nd in US production of fresh vegetables and provides 80% of the fresh vegetables consumed in the US during January, February, and March each year.
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Sponsored by:
HOPEWELL FUNERAL HOME • MEMORIAL GARDENS
www.HopewellFuneraI.com FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED SINCE 1971
Year 1915
As years pass, I often wonder how we have lived as long as we have. As a child I remember riding in the back seat of our car with no seat belts and no air bags. We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors, or cabinets, and when we rode our bike we had no helmet. We drank water from a garden hose and not from a bottle.
We have a lot of perks being over 60! Your joints are more accurate than the weather channel. Things you buy now will not wear out. Your investment in health insurance is finally beginning to pay off, and you enjoy hearing about other peoples operations. Looking back a little over 100 years ago I realize how much things have changed. In 1915 the average life expectancy for men was 47 years. Fuel for cars was sold in drug stores. Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub, and only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone. The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph. The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower. The average US wage in the US was around 20 cents an hour. A competent accountant could expect to make $2,000 a year. A dentist made $2,500 a year. More than 95 percent of all births took place at home, and 90 percent of all Doctors had no college education. Sugar cost four cents a pound. Eggs were 14 cents a dozen, and coffee was 15 cents a pound. Most women washed their hair once a month, and they used Borax or egg yolks for shampoo.
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Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from
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entering their country for any reason. The five leading causes of death in the United States were: pneumonia and influenza, TB, diarrhea, heart disease and strokes. The American flag had 45 stars, and the population of Las Vegas was only 30. Crossword puzzles, canned beer and iced tea had not been invented yet. There was neither a Mother’s Day nor a Father’s Day. Two out of every 10 adults could not read or write. Here are some of the predictions for 2036; The Supreme Court rules punishment of criminals violates civil rights. New Federal law requires that all nail clippers, screwdrivers, fly swatters and rolled up newspapers must be registered! Congress authorizes direct deposit of illegal political contributions to campaign accounts. Postal Service raises the price of a first class stamp to $6.50, and reduces mail delivery to Wednesday only. And Iran is still closed off, and physicists estimate it will take at least ten more years before radioactivity decreases to a safe level. Well it’s 2017 now, and things have changed even more. You wake up at 2am to go to the bathroom and check your email on the way back to bed. You try to enter your password on your microwave. You buy a computer and 6 months later it is out of date and now sells for half the price you paid. You leave your house without your cell phone, which you didn’t have the first 50 years of your life, causes panic and you have to turn the car around and go back and get it. Your reason for not staying in touch with some of your family is because they do not have an email address. Did any of the above strike home? WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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New beginnings for widows and widowers.
LIFT ÂŽ is a social support program that helps widows and widowers adjust to the loss of a spouse by providing hope to reinforce a sense of wholeness and purpose in those who may be feeling lost or isolated.
We invite you to join us at our next Dignity Memorial LIFT event. Plant City Dignity Memorial LIFT Program The 3rd Monday of Every Month Wells Memorial and Event Center, The Tranquility Room 1903 West Reynolds Street, Plant City, Florida 33563
Please RSVP to: 813-752-1111 LIFT is Open to All Widows and Widowers
Sponsored by the Dignity Memorial network of funeral, cremation and cemetery providers, the LIFT program is both educational and entertaining. There are no fees or dues to participate. Dignity Memorial LIFT members are only responsible for their own meals or personal expenses. Participation is not restricted to those who have been served by Dignity Memorial providers.
Wells Memorial and Event Center 813-752-1111
Plant City
Light refreshments will be served www.wellsmemorial.com
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OUR PROFITS ARE YOUR PAYDAY When you do business with Farm Credit, you are a member of a cooperative. When we do well, you do well. And we’ve been doing well for over 100 years. LOANS FOR: • • • •
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THANK YOu
Mike Mullins
FOR YOUR YEARS OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IMPACTS By Jim Frankowiak
Most often when you read or hear about “environmental impacts” it’s not a good thing, but a threat to the environment that harms or has the potential to harm people and wildlife that live nearby and things that grow there. That is not the case this time. The impacts reported in this article are very positive and reflect a life and career of education, outreach and volunteerism that has most favorably impacted the Tampa Bay area environment. All are due to the efforts of Mike Mullins. Mike had no knowledge that this article was being prepared because he probably would have said, “No.” “That is just the kind of man Mike is,” said Tampa Bay Audubon Society President Mary Keith. “He does what he does because he wants as many people as possible to learn about and appreciate the ecosystems here in our area. Personal credit is not important to him.” To give you an idea of what Mike has done, Mike’s friend Ann Paul, Regional Coordinator of the Coastal Islands Sanctuaries of Audubon Florida, ticked off a list of some of his accomplishments, including: “Recruitment and training of volunteer docents for weekend and holiday coverage of the Nature Center at Lettuce Lake Park. This let the building be opened so the public could see exhibits, read books, ask questions of knowledgeable volunteers and get out of the heat or cold for a few minutes while visiting the park.” “Mike updated and improved the exhibits, rotating information on a regular basis so that repeat visitors learned something new each time they came to the Center,” said Paul. The Audubon Resource Center, popularly known as the ARC in the Park, was created to help foster a culture of conservation and an environmental ethic in the Tampa Bay region and to encourage community involvement in the Audubon Mission: “To conserve and restore our ecosystems, focusing on birds, wildlife and their habitats through education, advocacy and community involvement.” ARC at the Park provides a variety of environmental education programs and field trips for all ages; displays wildlife native to the Hillsborough River watershed; offers information about management and the history of the resources there and assists park visitors with wildlife and plant identification.
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“He worked with the Southwest Florida Water Management District to provide wetlands education to elementary science students and via field experience,” added Paul. Mike also developed the curriculum for Nature’s Classroom, part of Hillsborough County’s public school curriculum for sixth graders
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which provides the opportunity for hands on experience of the wonders of nature through its environmental studies program. In the mid 90s the future of Nature’s Classroom was in jeopardy as pending budget cuts would have forced closure of the facility. “Mike was a leader in working with Tampa Audubon and the Hillsborough County Education Foundation to save Nature’s Classroom,” said Paul. Mike also developed he curriculum for Nature’s Classroom, part of Hillsborough County’s public school curriculum for sixth graders which provides the opportunity for hands on experience of the wonders of nature through its environmental studies program. More than a decade ago Mike was also involved with the Mosaic Co. and its Coastal Education Center. “Mike led a group of volunteer environmental education teachers to create a curriculum for the program we introduced for 4th graders,” said Mosaic’s retired Community Relations staffer Chris Smith. “He came up with the idea to have a focus group for 4th graders to help design a program that met their interests, and he was right on,” said Smith. “Those students did not want white boards and videos, they wanted a hands-on experience and that’s what the program gives them. Besides helping to create a program that continues to be popular today – 12 years after was introduced, Mike was a great guy to work with. He was fun and always kept the ball moving forward.” Mike, who holds both graduate and undergraduate degrees from the University of South Florida (USF), the former in Science Education/Curriculum and Instruction and the latter in Biology, was supervisor of K-12 Environmental Education for Hillsborough County Public Schools until his retirement in 2002. He is now retiring from his varied volunteer duties at the ARC in the Park. Roger Sheets is taking over for Mike as the new ARC Program Director. Mike has also served for 15-years as a volunteer lecturer and field trip guide in karst geology for Tampa Audubon’s “Natural Hillsborough” course, which is part of the curriculum offered through USF’s Learning in Retirement series. In his “free” time, Mike is an avid nature photographer, capturing images on canvas, board or paper that reflect Florida’s natural beauty amid freshwater wetlands, nature trails and other areas he travels. He also provides environmental education consulting services through MD Mullins & Associates. “Audubon and the people of the Tampa Bay who have benefitted from Mike’s efforts owe him a huge ‘Thank You’ for all that he has done for so many years,” said Keith. “Mike, we wish you the very best!” WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
WE’RE PUTTING SCIENCE TO WORK FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
© 2017 The Mosaic Company
At Mosaic, we’re putting science to work right here in the community. From serving as docents at the Coastal Education Center to volunteering in robotics labs, our scientists and engineers work closely with Tampa Bay area schools to provide students with innovative learning opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Mosaic ecologist Michelle helps students explore the plants and wildlife found at the Coastal Education Center, located at the mouth of the Alafia River. To learn more about Mosaic’s support of STEM education, visit Science.MosaicCo.com.
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2017 Community Water Wise Award Winners By Lynn Barber, Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Agent UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County
Barb and Bob McCarty.
The Community Water Wise Awards are sponsored by Tampa Bay Water and recognize individuals and businesses committed to conserving our water resources and protecting the environment by using Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ (FFL) principles. There are nine FFL principles which include: right plant right place, water efficiently, fertilize appropriately, mulch, attract wildlife, manage yard pests responsibly, recycle, reduce stormwater runoff and protect the waterfront. Many of these principles are used as part of the landscape evaluation process for this award program. The retention of existing trees and vegetation is evaluated, as are landscape design and plant selection. Stormwater runoff prevention techniques and use of efficient irrigation techniques are reviewed. Winning landscapes balance attractive design with plants, landscape elements and water efficient irrigation techniques that have a positive impact on our environment.
I’m pleased to announce the winners for the 2017 Community Water Wise Award Contest. For unincorporated Hillsborough County, the winners are Barb and Bob McCarty. The City of Tampa winners are Michael Keller and Jacqueline Rogers. There are several elements of these landscapes that were positive examples of Florida-Friendly LandscapingTM waterwise practices. These include the planting of drought-tolerant trees and plants, self-mulching areas under trees, groundcovers versus turfgrass utilized in all or several areas of the landscapes, plants selected that are appropriate for your site conditions, grouping of plants with similar water and maintenance needs, organic and alternative mulch was applied, pervious materials were used for paths, walkways and other areas. Both thrive mainly on rainfall with no in-ground irrigation system, were aesthetically pleasing, beautiful and inviting. We were excited about Barb and Bob’s use of organic and alternative mulches and rainwater harvesting. Michael and Jacqueline’s use of native and non-native adaptive plants was thoughtful and in good taste. As you can see from the photos, these landscapes were both water conserving and fascinating. With a dozen entries submitted this year, it was difficult selecting the 2017 Community Water Wise Award Winners. We hope each of you reading this article will consider entering the contest which you can do any time at http://tampabaywaterwise.org. The deadline for entries is June 30 each year, so you can complete an application now, submit it and get a head start on the 2018 contest!
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For assistance with horticultural questions, call us at 813-744-5519 or visit us at the UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County, 5339 County Road 579, Seffner, FL 33584. More gardening information is available at: http://hillsborough.ifas.ufl.edu and https:// www.facebook.com/HCFFL/. Remember to reduce, reuse, recycle and repeat.
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Celebrating a most fruitful relationship between Florida Strawberry Growers and International Paper.
1979
Together we’re sure to enjoy many more years of sweet success.
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Florida
Honeydew
By Sandy Kaster, M.S. Clinical Medicines, B.S. Nutrition Science
Juicy, sweet honeydew is at its peak season now. A member of the gourd family, honeydew is related to cucumbers, winter melons, crenshaw, and casaba melons. Worldwide, China is the top producer of honeydew, followed by Turkey and the United States. In the U.S., the top melon producers are California, Arizona, Texas, Georgia, and Florida. Melons require a long, warm growing season free of frost. Compared with cantaloupe, honeydew ripens most slowly and reaches its peak season later in the summer, generally August through October. Honeydew melons weight four to eight pounds on average, but can vary widely in size. This sweet melon has a smooth light green to cream colored rind and pale green flesh that surrounds a core of seeds. In recent years, orange fleshed honeydew melons have become available. The rind is a pale orange color, with a bright orange flesh, like that of cantaloupe, and the sweet, subtle taste of honeydew. Honeydew melons do not slip off the vine when ripe. They must be cut off the vine when ripe, when the rind turns a cream color and the stem end is slightly fragrant. Once picked, they'll continue to ripen for several days at room temperature. Ripening can be expedited by placing in a paper bag with a banana.
Nutritional Profile According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, one cup of diced fresh honeydew (177 g) contains 60 calories, 1 g of protein, 0.2 g of fat, 16 g of carbohydrate, and 1.4 g of fiber. It provides 53% of the Daily Reference Intake for vitamin C, 12% for potassium, 8% for folate and vitamin B, 6% for vitamin K, and significant amounts of vitamin A, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, iron, and niacin.
Weight control Honeydew is comprised of 90% water by weight. The high water content in this fruit means that you can consume a large portion for very few calories. Two cups of fresh honeydew have only 120 calories, and is a great food for maintaining a healthy weight because its high fiber and water content help keep you full. Eating foods high in water content can also help meet your hydration needs in the hot summer weather.
as most fruits and vegetables, are fantastic sources of potassium.
Vitamin C Vitamin C is important for a healthy immune system, cancer prevention, healthy blood circulation and wound healing. This vitamin acts as a potent antioxidant in the body, neutralizing harmful free radicals and preventing its damaging effects in cells. By fighting cell and tissue damage, vitamin C protects against cancer, as well as the common cold. This vitamin also helps the body absorb more iron, and aids in the development of strong bones and teeth. Current research findings support that vitamin C’s benefits come from consumption of whole fruits and vegetables. A high intake of produce is associated with a reduced risk of death from all causes, including heart disease, stroke, and cancer. Taking supplements does not seem to provide the same protective benefits as eating the actual fruit.
How to select and store Choose a honeydew that feels heavy for its size and yields slightly to light thumb pressure. Look for a rind that is smooth, not fuzzy, with a cream color. A ripe melon will have a sweet, fragrant smell from the stem end. Whole, firm honeydew can be left at room temperature for several days to ripen. Once the melon has reached its peak ripeness, store in the refrigerator until ready to use. Melon that has been cut should also be stored in the refrigerator.
How to Enjoy Fresh Florida honeydew is delicious sliced and eaten out-ofhand. Sweet honeydew can also be juiced or blended into smoothies or sorbet. Other ways to enjoy include: • Dice finely and add to other vegetables for a fruity salsa • Cut into chunks and wrap with prosciutto or ham • Blend and chill for a cool, sweet soup • Chop into pieces and add to any fruit or vegetable salad • Slice and top with yogurt or cottage cheese for a high protein snack • Blend either alone or with other fruits and freeze in a popsicle mold Enjoy fresh Florida honeydew at its peak today. Sweet and mild, honeydew adds great nutrition and deliciousness to any meal.
Potassium
Selected References
Honeydew is also high in potassium, a mineral and electrolyte in the body that helps protect against high blood pressure. Potassium helps regulate fluids and mineral balance, aids in muscle contraction of both skeletal and heart muscle, and helps transmit nerve impulses. People with low potassium levels are more prone to muscle cramps. Honeydew, as well
http://www.whfoods.com http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ https://cals.arizona.edu/fps/sites/cals.arizona.edu.fps/files/ cotw/Honeydew.pdf http://aic.ucdavis.edu/profiles/Melons-2006.pdf INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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INFORMATION FOR TEACHER AG EDUCATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS; AND USDA FORAGE DISASTER BENEFITS FOR LIVESTOCK PRODUCERS By Jim Frankowiak
Pre-K through 12th grade educators are encouraged to apply for Mini-Grants during the current school year from Florida Farm Bureau-Agriculture in the Classroom (FFBAITC) to help underwrite the cost of programs designed to increase the understanding of agriculture among students and educators. Grants of up to $250 are available to help educators more effectively integrate agriculture into their curriculum. There are no subject area boundaries with entries encouraged in Social Studies, Math, Language Arts, Science, Environmental Education and other subject areas or combination of areas that effectively integrate key agricultural principles. Certified Florida teachers engaged in classroom instruction at the Pre-K – 12th grade levels are eligible for the FFBAITC Mini-Grant Program for the 2017-2018 school year. The deadline for applications is Monday, October 2, 2017. Grant winners will be notified by November 15, 2017 via e-mail. Objectives and goals must be clearly stated along with an explanation how the grant will help achieve them. Projects must be completed by the end of the current school year and must include a brief, final report upon completion of the project, but not later than July 1, 2018. Innovation and an inter-disciplinary approach are important judging criteria. Extensive student involvement and subsequent effect on the students is very important to FFB-AITC. Field trips and assemblies must be linked to classroom learning objectives and applications should outline specific pre and post activities. For further assistance and information, interested educators may contact Debra Jones by phone: 352/384-2630 or Email: Debra.Jones@ffb.org.
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There is an additional opportunity to Pre-K through 12th grade Florida general education and agriscience teachers who want to use agricultural concepts to teach core sub-
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ject areas. This opportunity is through Florida Agriculture in the Classroom (FAITC). The deadline for applications is also October 2 and is limited to the first, 40 complete applications. For applications and guidelines for this Teacher Grant Program, visit: http://faitc.org/teacher-grant/. LIVESTOCK FORAGE DISASTER PROGRAM Producers in 35 Florida counties, including Hillsborough, Polk, Manatee, Pinellas, Pasco counties, are eligible to apply for 2017 Livestock Forage (LFP) benefits through the United States Department of Agriculture, Farm Service Agency (USDA FSA). The 2014 Farm Bill authorized the LFP to provide compensation to eligible livestock producers who have suffered grazing losses for covered livestock on land that is native or improved pastureland with permanent vegetative cover or is planted specifically for grazing. The grazing losses must be due to qualifying drought conditions during the normal grazing period for the county. LFP also provides compensation to eligible livestock producers who have suffered grazing losses on rangeland managed by a federal agency if the eligible livestock producer is prohibited by the federal agency from grazing the normal permitted livestock on the managed rangeland due to a qualifying fire. Grazing losses must have occurred on or after October 1, 20ll. Additional information is available about LFP at your local FSA Office or online at USDA FSA Livestock Forage Disaster Program. The FSA office in Hillsborough County is located at 201 South Collins Street, Plant City, FL 33563. Telephone: 813/752-1474.
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Fall Heifer & Cow Sale October 27th 1 pm. Expecting 300+/- HD Quality Replacement Cattle
Cross Bred Cows & Heifers (Bred, Open, Pairs) For More Information Please Contact Office: 863-665-5088 Dave: 863-559-3266 Mike: 863-559-5091
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FOOD LAW BOOT CAMP: Preparing for What Might be Inevitable By Jim Frankowiak
If you are a producer of fruits or vegetables in Florida or anywhere in the U.S., it is in your very best interest to prepare for a food recall or lawsuits related to product labeling and advertisements for the produce you grow or the products that contain them. Both recalls and lawsuits are on the upswing and prompted the Florida Food & Vegetable Association (FFVA) to organize two Food Law Boot Camps to make producers aware of what might be the inevitable, whether a recall or lawsuit, and steps to take in anticipation of such occurrences to help minimize the impact. The camps were facilitated by two members of the McDermott, Will & Emery law firm, long time counselors to the FFVA. They included Partner J. Christian Nemeth and Associate Daniel Campbell. The University of Florida Gulf Coast Research Center at Balm recently hosted one of the camps with some 30 attendees representing various segments of the fruit and vegetable industry, allied firms and organizations. If you think “neither will ever happen to me or my organization,” think again. Big food, the term often used to describe large manufacturers of packaged foods, litigation, according to the NEW YORK TIMES, accounted for $525 million in legal fees for plaintiffs alone during 2015. “Plaintiffs’ attorneys are very creative and looking for potential class action suits,” said Nemeth. “There were just 20 class action suits involving big food in 2008, while that number has grown to 425 in the last two years.” The payoffs for plaintiffs and their legal counsel are most substantial and often representing “hundreds of millions of dollars.” In terms of creativity, consider the suit filed against Starbucks for not having enough coffee and too much ice in iced coffee. Or, how about insufficient “stuffing” in double stuffed Oreo cookies? Don’t overlook the government’s response to some of these issues, especially those involving food safety. The salmonella issue that arose within the peanut industry led to criminal prosecution. The cost to respond to these situations can be substantial, and in some cases, has led to bankruptcy filings and the ultimate demise or sale of a company.
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“Emerging issues in the food industry and litigation are being focused on claims in labeling or advertising about all natural ingredients or products that are healthy for those who consume them,” said Nemeth. “To respond to some of these lawsuits, defendants will involve all parties in the related food chain, from the grower to the distributor and all in between to share in legal costs or settlements,” said Campbell. “We’ve also seen suits filed over whole ingredient claims. One snack producer claimed real vegetables in its product, but a lawsuit was filed by the plaintiffs’ attorneys because the ingredients were actually tomato paste, not tomatoes, and potato flour
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not potatoes.” There are also suits either filed or pending that address both GMO and non-GMO products, GMO labeled products are not and vice versa for non-GMO products. Suits have also been filed over packaging alleging the package of food has supposedly more air than product. “Very often the information filed at the initial step in this process, the complaint, provides both factual and visual information that piques the interest of media, leading to in depth investigative reporting and resulting coverage in print, electronic and online media. In many of these instances the work product of the journalists becomes part of the litigation and also serves to help class action status,” said Nemeth. In anticipation of a recall, Nemeth and Campbell offered Boot Camp attendees a four-step checklist to help serve as a guide and they include: • Organization of a Crisis Management Team consisting of a food safety staff member, in-house counsel, if applicable; management representative with decision-making authority, a public relations staffer and legal counsel • A process for Document Preservation and Organization that is followed by all employees, up-to-date supplier/distributor/retailer/customer records and contact lists throughout the supply/distribution chain of your products; a written protocol or policy for written communications and document preservation and a plan or system to trace receipt and retention of returned product following a recall • Should a recall take place, compile a list of affected products and lot numbers involved and collect resources related to distribution of those products, formulating a way to segregate affected product; also compile a list of affected customers/buyers and appropriate contact information; identify the problem and discuss health risks with the crisis management team; and produce multiple copies of this checklist, saving a copy on line for reference • Notify insurers as required by law or insurance policy following discussion with the crisis team and legal counsel; limit communications to factual statements; discuss recall plans with the crisis team and legal counsel before committing to writing; and discuss any external communications with the Crisis Team before distribution. To help avoid being named in a lawsuit, Nemeth and Campbell suggested legal review of any material destined for external use such as packaging, advertising and labeling. This can be either internal legal counsel, if available, or outside counsel. “Be sure that reviewing counsel has experience and familiarity with contemporary big food legal issues so they can provide appropriate guidance,” urged Nemeth. For additional information, visit the FFVA website: www.ffva. com and click on “Agriculture links” under ‘Resources.’ You may also request a copy of the FFVA brochure, “Are You Ready for a Recall?” in a downloadable format by emailing Alyssa.Badalamenti@ffva.com. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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By Jack Payne Sean Kryger’s master’s thesis at the University of Florida’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) will be on trying to create a Florida beer with homegrown ingredients. We’re a long way from a taste test. Kryger, who went to Santa Fe Catholic High School in Lakeland, is training a sniff panel to identify the aromas in hops that are most associated with great flavor. Kryger is teaching sniffers to grade each whiff. He needs to get them from “I know what I like” to assigning each scent a numerical value on a scientific scale. Data like that could help plant breeders pick the most promising candidates for creating a Florida-grown hop. Today’s agricultural sciences majors can stick their noses into just about anything related to food, to fiber, and even to fuel. UF CALS undergraduates may soon be doing research or internships in a new federally funded project aimed at turning plants into military jet fuel. They get muddy and wet studying the advances in aquaculture that have turned nearby Cedar Key into a regional clam capital. When they graduate, they enter a job market with an estimated annual 57,900 openings in agriculture and natural resources and only 35,400 new graduates in the majors needed to fill those jobs. These are jobs such as moving millions of dollars with a few keystrokes as a cattle futures broker. Another CALS alumnus is a lobbyist for the American Farm Bureau Federation in the nation’s capital. Another is researching trends and developing new product markets for one of the nation’s largest food companies. Others are doctors and lawyers. UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, to which CALS belongs, is the discovery and innovation arm of a $160 billion-a-year agriculture and natural resources industry in Florida. That industry requires an array of professionals that goes well beyond those who work on farms. That industry is constantly changing. It gives researchers, outreach agents, teachers and their students the opportunity to feed the future. They can participate in creating a more just system of feeding the world by working on distribution of food, reducing its waste, and using methods to produce food with the least environmental impact.
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We grow 300 crops commercially in Florida. Hops isn’t one of them. Kryger is among those who are looking to change that. Florida brewers import most of their hops from the Pacific
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Northwest or from abroad. No one has figured out yet how to successfully grow them on a commercial scale here. Kryger’s work is important because flavor matters. It won’t do any good to breed hops that survive Florida’s heat and bugs if no one wants to drink the ale produced from them. He’s been convening his panel in a food science lab run by Dr. Charlie Sims, who has done sensory work on everything from Florida orange juice to strawberries to Cedar Key clams. Together, Kryger and Sims are doing important advance work that could contribute to an entire new industry. Hops may seem like a longshot. But blueberries once were, too, and now they’re an $80 million-a-year industry, thanks to varieties that thrive in Florida that were developed by UF/ IFAS. Students can play a role in finding the next big success story in Florida agriculture and natural resources. Indeed, we at UF/IFAS believe they’ll have to. We need our best and brightest minds to figure out how to feed a projected 10 billion people on the planet by 2050, to prevent starvation even as we fight an obesity epidemic. We’ve even established a four-course certificate program that focuses undergraduates on devising solutions to one of the greatest challenges of our time. Kryger’s work could ultimately keep more Florida farmers in business – farmers who could diversify with hops to supplement their production of fruits, vegetables, meat, and wood. It could also contribute to unlocking mysteries of taste that could carry over to other foods. Kryger is among that generation we’re counting on to both feed the world and curb its obesity epidemic. We at CALS don’t believe a young person should have to wait until graduation to start working to solve the world’s problems. That’s what our faculty does in every Florida county, many states, and numerous countries. That means their students do, too. Jack Payne is the senior vice president of agriculture and natural resources at the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. jackpayne@ufl.edu • @JackPayneIFAS WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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Total Eclipse Was Totally Awesome! by John Dicks
Do you remember hearing a few weeks ago all the big hype about the “The Great American Eclipse” that was headed our way?
at goo.gl/UJKEf.
Granted, most times such grand events fail to live up the their billing. In this case, though, the eclipse far surpassed it!
How mathematicians had many, many years ago cyphered that specific timetable, I have no idea. But in my pocket was Siri on my iPhone and I confirmed that while Lincoln Beach, Oregon would be our nation’s first spot to see the sun slipping away starting at it’s west coast local time of 9:04 (and 36 seconds), it would take one hour, 12 minutes and 13 seconds to race all the way across the country to where we were waiting.
At least that’s the case if you were watching the celestial wonder from that sweet-spot referred to as the “Zone of Totality.” For us, we found it in Charleston, SC, on a friend’s boat in the Stono River, just a spit or so shy of where it empties into the Atlantic Ocean.
So began our countdown to 1:16:49 pm. Confident that Siri knew what she was talking about, we donned our glasses, stared overhead, and right on time, the moon starting eating into the bright yellow orange ball of the sun sitting in the sky.
Some years ago, a lifelong friend of mine accepted the opportunity of challenge with a move to Charleston. Unfortunately, you tend to lose touch when miles separate familiarity. Contact and conversation slip into decline.
It was our special cardboard eclipse glasses that we were wearing. I had ordered them long ago, and when they arrived from Amazon.com I wondered whether they were legitimate since they were so dark that I could see nothing with them on. When turned towards the sky, however, the sun’s light shone bright and it was fascinating to watch the moon begin to cover it with darkness.
Weren’t all the headlines shouting that it was one of those not to be missed, once-ina-lifetime experiences that you just had to be there?
Sometimes you just need a good excuse for a long postponed visit. We figured that with Charleston being the last bit of dry land to witness this rare total eclipse of the sun, spanning the nation from one ocean to the other, this was as good time as any and certainly better than most. Folks in Charleston were more than excited about all the attention showered on their southern city as being the last place on the planet to witness what was to be the sun disappearing in the middle of the day. It seemed, too, like there were lines everywhere, even at the gas stations, with people filling up, as one guy said, “just in case something goes wrong with this eclipse thing.” The Krispy Kreme doughnut shop was making a mint selling a special chocolate covered version of its normally white covered doughnut, naturally calling it their eclipse version. Hand lettered signs were in the windows of shops advising buyers that the business would be closed (at least from 2 pm till 3 pm at the local hardware store) so that the employees, too, could enjoy the special sights in the sky. We launched the idea to witness things by boat so that trees wouldn’t obscure our view. Naturally a few million others, or so it seemed, hatched the same perfect plan. Fortunately the South Carolina low country waterways had room for us all. We anchored in shallow water about an hour before the beginning of the eclipse, which we knew would begin at a precise time according to our exact GPS location as had been calculated and plotted on an amazing online Google map, found
each other, it appeared as if they suddenly snapped together, one on top of the other, with the moon, for once, seeming to take control as the big guy in the sky. Spontaneously, there was a collective and very loud gasp of awe from all of our new found friends in the boats around us. They were drowned out only by our own shouts of amazement. Truly, I was astonished and have never seen anything quite like it! Not only did the sky turn dark, but everything around us did, too. It wasn’t that pitch black dead of night dark, but the disconcerting kind, as in “why is it like this at 2:46 (and 29 seconds) in the afternoon?!” Quite eerie was that of a faint glow around the dark circle overhead which appeared like a hole in the sky through which we were staring. It was, of course, the sun’s halo-like corona causing this gorgeous glow and its radiating streams.
The moon’s job, of course, was to move, while in its orbit around our earth, to an exact location such that it completely blocked out the body of the sun. Sounds simple enough, but it seemed to take forever.
While the moon did an amazing job of blocking the sun, still it could not extinguish the normally hidden corona. It’s a crown of white flares from the sun’s surface which totally encircled the moon and is only visible during a total eclipse. Surprisingly, it’s also the safest moment for your eyes so we yanked off those silly glasses and were mesmerized by one of heaven’s greatest natural phenomenons.
People in the boats around us were in a festive mood. Kids were playing in the water. Adults were blaring music from preplanned playlists with tunes, of no surprise to anyone, like Total Eclipse of the Heart and Bad Moon Rising.
Perhaps even more surprising was to see pinkish red dots in the corona which are called Bailey’s beads. These occur where the moon slips by the sun and the rugged lunar topography lets beads of sunlight shine through the moon’s uneven surface.
A bit of anxiety began to occur when clouds drifted in and threatened to shut down the party. Quickly, a storm began to stir. Indeed it was a rather raging one with bold streaks of lightning landing to the north of us. Though still rather far away, the sky was getting darker and darker making the impending storm seem like a bold one was brewing.
Where we were, the delight of totality lasted less than two minutes. Yet, candidly, it was simply astonishing.
Suddenly we realized that it wasn’t the storm which was darkening the sky, but looked back to see that it was the dance of the moon and sun that were really starting their show.
Finally, the moon lost its grasp over the sun and began to slip away. Cheers erupted from the now dedicated new star gazers in the boats nearby. Yes, there was actually cheers; and applause being lifted towards a grand celestial bash.
When the eclipse was about 90% it looked through the glasses like the familiar finger nail shape of the moon when it just barely appears in the sky. That was when the excitement of anticipation began to build. People stopped their playing. Voices got quiet. Music was turned down. Attention was focused on the slow, slow pace of the moon racing to dim the final bit of sunshine. Frankly, it seemed to take forever, waiting, waiting, waiting. Then suddenly, almost as if two giant magnets in the sky got too close to
It was quiet, it was still, it was dark. It was even noticeably cooler than the insufferable weather we were otherwise weathering with a heat index nearing 100 degrees.
Winds whipped through the air. Lightning flashed closer. We remembered then that the storm was just behind us, and now was getting closer. We deemed it our cue to hoist anchor and head home. As we raced away from the storm, which was quickly approaching from behind, ahead of us towards shore we remained transfixed on the moon completing its journey while the sun was beginning for it what seemed the dawning of yet another bright new day.
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John Dicks is both a lawyer and businessman, including an interest in farming. He and his family have owned a blueberry farm and have agricultural lands which they lease for cattle operations, as John says, “to someone who knows and handles cattle much better than I do!” John is both a Gator, having received his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida, and a Seminole, with his law degree from Florida State University. He and his wife, Sharon, live in Plant City, where he served nine years as City Commissioner, including three terms as Mayor.
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No Shrimp Cocktail Here: Squirrel Chimney Cave Shrimp By Jim Frankowiak
Shrimp are often considered a delicacy. Seafood lovers, especially those who enjoy shellfish, know how delicious shrimp can be. And if we recall Bubba, from Forrest Gump, we can all enumerate the plethora of ways “skrimp” are best served. What some of us may not know, is that the Squirrel Chimney Cave Shrimp is one such variety that is considered critically endangered, and possibly extinct. The Squirrel Chimney Cave Shrimp only exists in Alachua County in a limestone cave. Our initial research revealed that they have not been recorded since 1973. But, since the site where they occur is privately owned, and no-trespassing protected, it is probably no wonder that scientists don’t have access. The real problem for these potentially still existing shrimp is that Gainesville is constantly growing. That means the danger of contaminated ground water, thanks to development, is a real one for them.¹
Scientists suggest a few ways to ensure that these shrimp, and the other unique invertebrates living in the Squirrel Chimney sinkhole, remain safe. The first suggestion is the installation of a security fence to surround the space. However, this kind of fence must not prevent the natural flow of fauna and detrital material into the cave. On top of that, they think that planting more native vegetation around the sink is highly advisable.² On an even greater scope, considerations for future development should take into account the vulnerability of this natural habitat. This would help ensure that water quality is monitored and maintained. Creating rules that govern the kind of chemicals being utilized is a good idea. Zoning laws can also help protect this crucial ecosystem.²
When you add to that the fact that there’s an invasive species of fish in the region, the Redeye Chub, it is easy to see why help is needed. Particularly since the Redeye Chub preys on shrimp larvae. And though some extensive surveys were performed in the early 90s, no Squirrel Chimney Cave Shrimp were discovered at that time. But, because there are over 100 sinkholes in that cave, and only 38 of them were investigated at that time, there was still hope of their existence.¹
Recall, though, that we mentioned that this piece of property is privately owned. Some people believe that one of the best ways to ensure sustainability at this location is to have the property and its surrounding area purchased by another source. Due to the fact that this is a privately owned location, no Federal recovery plan has been instituted.³ So, there is no government organization actively working on helping these little guys out.
This is a freshwater shrimp and as we mentioned, it is only known to exist in subterranean water within this particular cave. For this reason, it is often referred to as the Florida Cave Shrimp. They are pretty small shrimp as well, at an average of 1.2 inches in length. Plus, they are without pigment, mostly see through, and have smaller eyes than shrimp that live closer to the surface.²
Therefore, all hopes for protection fall on someone interested in purchasing the property for that purpose. This should be an organization or individual devoted to keeping the Squirrel Chimney sink safe. So, if you are someone with a heart for endangered, and critically endangered species, perhaps you can help with this. Especially, if you have a lot of money, as we feel relatively certain that whomever owns the site won’t be too keen on selling it.
In 1994, there was some great new, a few Squirrel Chimney Cave Shrimp were discovered. And, one female was recorded, in July of that year, as having 35 embryos. Scientists were able to locate recently hatched larvae, too. These were all slightly larger than their surface dwelling counterparts. But, information on these shrimp is still extremely limited. In fact, what they eat is still unknown, as is how they reproduce.³ The shrimp reside in Squirrel Chimney, a sinkhole in Alachua County. While the sinkhole itself is relatively small, it is very deep. And, its depth allows it to make way to an unknown number of flooded caves. In fact, this particular location has been, “known to support one of the richest cave invertebrate faunas in the nation.”² Those that live in it are adapted to its detritus-based ecosystem, which is poor in nutrients. Unfortunately, because the Squirrel Chimney Cave Shrimp is only found in this specific cave system it is highly vulnerable. Pretty much any change to the system can equate with utter extinction. Storm water runoff, and those from herbicides and fertilizers, can prove quite detrimental.² So what can we do to PAGE
help ensure that these creatures remain in existence?
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But, like we always tell you, there’s a reason the Squirrel Chimney Cave Shrimp was placed on this planet and it is up to us to ensure that it sticks around. After all, we have been entrusted with God’s creation as its stewards. This shrimp species’ existence depends on us. Resources: ¹IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. (2017). Palaemonetes cummingi. http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/15886/0 ²US Fish & Wildlife Service. North Florida Ecological Services. Squirrel Chimney Cave Shrimp. https://www.fws.gov/northflorida/Species-Accounts/Squirrel-Chimney-Cave-Shrimp-2005. htm ³Squirrel Chimney Cave Shrimp. http://myfwc.com/media/2211697/Squirrel-Chimney-Cave-Shrimp.pdf Photo Credits: Chip Clark at the Smithsonian Institute. Image of endangered Kentucky Cave Shrimp part of the same family, Palaemonidae. https://flic.kr/p/jWPcPo WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
*Please call Carl 863-444-1431 To Consign your Cattle Friday September 15, 2017 1:00 pm
9-22 Fall Beef Field Day / UF IFAS 9-29 Beefmaster Bull Sale 10-6 Mo Brangus/ Hines Bull Sale 10-19 ZWT Angus Bull & Heifer Sale
We will be closed Labor Day Monday, September 4th!
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THE BENEFITS OF ‘ELAPP’ LANDS - A BROADENED PERSPECTIVE By Jim Frankowiak
If you think visitors to environmentally sensitive wildlife habitat and corridors acquired through the Jan K. Platt Environmental Lands Acquisition and Protection Program (ELAPP) are the only Hillsborough County residents that benefit, you are highly mistaken. While there is absolutely no question regarding user benefits of those more than 61,000-acres for hiking, biking, horseback riding and more, “all of us who live in the county and visitors, as well, benefit from ELAPP lands in a variety of ways,” said Ross Dickerson, Section Manager for the Conservation and Environmental Lands Management Department of Hillsborough County. Named in honor of former Hillsborough County Commissioner Jan K. Platt, ELAPP is a voluntary program established by the County Commission in 1987 for the purpose of providing the process and funding for identifying, acquiring, preserving and protecting endangered, environmentally sensitive and significant lands in the county. The vision of the Conservation and Environmental Lands Management Department is “protect and manage conservation lands to preserve our natural heritage and provide natural resource-based recreation and education by sustaining ecologic function and regional biological diversity that enhances quality of life.” Conservation parks in the program include: Alderman’s Ford, E.G. Simmons, Edward Medard, Eureka Springs, Lake, Lake Rogers, Lettuce Lake, Lithia Springs, Upper Tampa Bay, five wilderness parks and the Upper Tampa Bay Trail System.
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The 61,253-acres presently in the program were acquired for $285.6 million with $174 million coming from ELAPP and $84.6 million from partnering agencies, representing nearly one-
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third of ELAPP funding to date. The county is also engaged in preserve management agreements with the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) and the cities of Tampa and Temple Terrace plus restoration projects with SWFWMD and the Tampa Port Authority. “It must be noted that ELAPP funding comes from citizen approved taxes and we continuously seek local and state investment partners for added funding,” said Dickerson. In addition to land preservation, the largest of its type by any local government in Florida, the program has restored thousands of acres of overgrown and disturbed habitat; develop more than 125-miles of trails, a BMX (bicycle motocross) track and radio-controlled airplane field. Part of the departmental Master Plan for the ELAPP lands includes an analysis of ecosystem services, as well as an assessment of potential for ecotourism and environmental education, gauge of facilities, operations, capital needs and funding sources, a strategic plan for management and monitoring program. An ecosystem is a community of animals and plants interacting with one another and with their physical environment. “People are part of the ecosystems,” noted Dickerson. “The health and well-being of human populations depends upon the services provided by ecosystems and their components – organisms, soil, water and nutrients. These services comprise any positive benefit that wildlife or natural processes provide to people.” There are four types of ecosystem services: provisional, cultural, regulating and supporting. Provisional services reflect any type of benefit that can be extracted from nature such as drinking water, timber, medicinal benefits and plants that can be made into materials and natural gas and oils. Cultural services include non-material benefit that contributes to the development and cultural advanceWWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
ment of people. “These include recreation, the role ecosystems play in local, national and global cultures, the building of knowledge and the spreading of ideas as well as the creativity born from interactions with nature such as music, art and architecture,” said Dickerson. Ecosystem regulating services include processes that moderate natural phenomena such as pollination, decomposition, water purification, erosion and flood control along with carbon storage and climate regulation. And the foundation for all ecosystem services is termed supporting services such as photosynthesis, nutrient cycling, soil creation and the water cycle. “These processes allow the earth to sustain basic life forms,” said Dickerson. Not surprisingly these varied services are important in evaluating ELAPP lands with respect to current program lands, future acquisitions and benefit s to Hillsborough County citizens. “Initial value assessments were completed through a partnership with the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) Extension – Hillsborough County and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding flood protection, climate regulation, air pollution removal and water quality regulation. “This is an ongoing assessment program with our partners at UF and the EPA,” noted Dickerson. Current year estimates: Flood Protection - $12,881,120; Climate Regulation - $27,474,865; Air Pollution Removal - $10,884,378; and Water Quality Regulation - $48,631,332. “Those services total nearly $100 million annually, and from a total return on investment standpoint, that takes place every two and half years, an ROI that reflects ELAPP’s ongoing value to all citizens of Hillsborough County today and into the future.” The partnership will continue to assess values as the information provided has ongoing importance to decision makers regarding continued preservation of property offering similar ecosystem services. Land Managers will also benefit from this information as they manage properties to enhance ecosystem function and services; assess how surrounding land use will affect ecosystem services of preserved lands and use adaptive management to mitigate impacts; and develop and implement programs for public education about ecosystem services, leading to increased environmental awareness. For more information about the ELAPP Program and opportunities for use and enjoyment, visit: www.hillsboroughcouny.org/conservation or call: 813-672-7876.
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Located at 3305 Hwy 92 E. Lakeland, FL 33801 Office: 863-665-5088 Dave Cell: 863-559-3266 Mike Cell: 863-559-5088
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By Ginny Mink
Ornamental Gardening in Florida
Part 36
Year three on our Literary Time Machine begins this month! It is truly exciting to have been traveling through this book with you. We have learned a host of new words, old ways to grow ornamental plants, and which ones do best in our area. Rest assured that there is still much more to learn as we hop aboard for this month’s voyage with Mr. Torrey-Simpson, the author of this 1926 classic piece. When last we left off, we had reached his section on fanleaved palms. He mentions the Acanthorhiza. Which he says is, “A genus of three or four palms from the American tropics…”¹ And then, as is his custom, he shares his own experience, “I have an unnamed species sent by the U.S. Department of Agriculture from British Honduras that is doing finely.”¹ Maybe it’s just our lack of geographical knowledge that spurs this question, but we admit, we had to wonder why he didn’t simply say Honduras. Why did he choose to call it British Honduras? As we typed in our question we discovered that British Honduras became Belize in 1973! So, British Honduras isn’t Honduras at all, but Belize instead. Interesting. With that question answered we continue on our journey where we find two fan leafed palms that he admits don’t grow well in Florida. The first, the Borassus flabellifer he explains is, “A tall palm sixty or seventy feet high, native of India.”¹ Then he elaborates, “I have introduced seeds but none of them grew and I am not aware that it has been successfully grown in Florida.”¹ The same proves true for the Brahea, a Mexican palm that grows well in California but not here. We are not sure why he chooses to include plants that don’t work in Florida since the title of his book is, Ornamental Gardening in Florida. But, at least the next type on his list proved successful. He writes, “Chamaerops. One species from the Mediterranean regions which extends well up into southern Europe is somewhat cultivated in Florida, C. humilis. This is a slow grower but quite attractive and it does fairly well for me on pineland. It sometimes reaches a height of twenty feet and should be hardy anywhere in our state.”¹ That said, we wondered if this tree is still one grown in Florida. If you decide to look it up as well, be advised that you need to type in Chamaerops humilis instead of C. humilis or you will end up with information on some kind of yeast species. So, finally locating our palm on PalmPedia, we found that Florida was not listed as a place it grows best. Guess you’ll have to see some in California, Chile, Western Australia, or South Africa.² We have to admit, we love Mr. Torrey-Simpson’s storytelling so when we arrived at his discussion on Copernicia, we smiled looking forward to his account. He tells:
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“The young leaves are more or less covered with a whitish wax which is an article of commerce and the wood is among
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the hardest and most durable known. Some years ago a shipment of over fifty young plants of this species which had two seed leaves each was sent to me and they arrived in fresh condition. But every plant of that lot had been pulled up from the seed bed and the long, brittle tap-root had been broken. Although I carefully trimmed these and planted and watched them every one died, not a plant even making the slightest start into growth.” Of course, like you, that smile quickly faded when we realized it was a sad story instead. Guess we won’t run out and purchase any of these palms. But we are interested in whether or not the wood is still considered the most durable. We were equally disappointed with these results as there is nothing about the wood. All we found was information about the wax which is apparently highly useful and is only produced on the trees that grow in Brazil. So, if you plant these palms elsewhere, they pretty much lose their “tree of life” status as they are known in Brazil.³ Obviously God knows where He wants things to grow. Hoping to redeem the time, we continued to his discussion of the Corypha. He elaborates, “C. umbraculifera has gigantic leaves, the blades being six feet long and thirteen across. Some of the sacred records of the Cingalese were written on pieces of these leaves with an iron stylus.” We hope you are wondering who the Cingalese are too! We found that they are residents of the area in and around Sri Lanka. And, some writing suggests that they viewed agriculture as the most honorable of callings.⁴ We’d have to agree with them there! And that seems like a great place to end this month’s adventure. You’ve met a new people group, discovered that God plants things where He wants them to produce what they are designed for, and that British Honduras is actually Belize. That’s a lot of learning for one voyage. Until next time, be safe and plant things that are native to your area! Resources: ¹ Simpson, Charles T. (1926). Ornamental Gardening in Florida. Published by the Author; Little River, FL. Printed by J.J. Little and Ives Company, New York. (p. 136-137). ²PalmPedia. Chamaerops humilis. http://www.palmpedia.net/ wiki/Chamaerops_humilis ³Encyclopedia Britannica. Carnauba Wax. https://www.britannica.com/technology/carnauba-wax ⁴Dictionary.com. Cingalese. http://www.dictionary.com/ browse/cingalese Photo Credits: Cloud 9 Luxury Caranuba Vehicle Wax. Cody Ryan Relgle. https://flic.kr/p/dUBhdR Isle of Lunch (Belize). Rebecca Smith. https://flic.kr/p/7FsZV Page 466 of “Ceylon and the Cingalese.” Mechanical Curator’s Cuttings. https://flic.kr/p/gTPjx5 WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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Team Beef takes over Florida Athletes are fighting misconceptions about beef with the creation of the first Team Beef Florida. By Breanne Williams
Beef is often given a bad name in the athletic industry. Health and red meat rarely are thought to go hand in hand due to the high concentration of fat and calories found in the protein. A group of athletes in Florida are determined to annihilate that mindset. Team Beef is a group associated with Beef Councils in different states that is comprised of athletes who are passionate about the nutritional value of lean beef and use athletic events to spread awareness about the benefits of the food. Team Beef is represented across the country but Florida failed to have a team until Erin Freel, owner of The Market Place, an agricultural marketing firm in Florida, decided to start a chapter in the sunshine state. In 2015, Freel participated in a the Marine Corps Marathon. At that time there was no Team Beef for Florida so Freel joined a different state’s team. She realized throughout the marathon that Florida needed to have a team of their own and after much thought she made a proposal to the Florida Beef Council. “One of the most important things I learned from the team I ran with was that I was the only person there with an agriculture background,” Freel said. “They picked team members who were in all walks of life, doctors. lawyers, teachers, gym enthusiasts, but they didn’t really have an agriculture background. These are people that just love beef because they know it’s good for them and they want to promote it and be an athlete that has that in their diet.”
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Freel said those team members didn’t grow up on a farm or
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around cattle so they were just genuinely passionate about beef. They were able to reach a different group of people because of their diverse backgrounds. After being granted permission to start a team of her own, she took that mindset and chose a group of athletes where half had an agriculture background and half didn’t. Freel was joined by Nicolas Blaser, the vice president of commercial banking for BB&T in Ocala, as Teem Beef 2017 Ambassadors. Originally, the plan was to have a team of 20 throughout the state. However, the response was overwhelming, with over 70 applications turned in, so Freel was able to convince the Beef Council to allow 35 members to be a part of the team. “What’s a better way of advocating for something your passionate about than advocating through sports,” Blaser said. “I’m not in the ag industry. I’m not a cattleman. I’m not selling beef. I’m a banker, but I am passionate about promoting Team Beef.” Members of Team Beef can participate in whatever type of athletic event they like. Some do 5ks and marathons, some Jiu-Jitsu and others triathlons. There is even a team member climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro for Team Beef. The athletes vary in athletic ability. Some consider themselves to be amateurs while others have competed in an ironman, an event that covers 140 miles in one day. The athletes are given a t-shirt and promote the team by posting photos on social media. Freel’s journey to a healthy lifestyle began in 2013 and now she speaks to groups all over the country about health, fitness and agriculture. She published the journal of her weight WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Smokin’ WE’RE
loss journey in a book called “Fat to Fit at 40.” “About three and a half years ago I couldn’t even run two minutes on the treadmill because I weighed 239 pounds,” Freel said. “So I lost a hundred pounds and I started doing 5Ks and then I wanted to do 10Ks, then half marathons then a full marathon and then I wanted to do triathlons because my brother had done them.” Though the team is new, both Freel and Blaser said it is starting to become a distinguishable name across the state. “I think it’s starting to be recognizable,” Blaser said. “Most of our events are in Florida and obviously it’s new here but we’ve done a lot of events so far. Both Erin and I did two half ironmans in Florida along with several other events so the word is spreading. Obviously, locally people know about us and recognize the brand because we’re always wearing it. The team has been active for several months now and Freel said she highly expects them to be approved to continue on next year. She said the team has met all of the deliverables and benchmarks the council gave them.
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“I would say that 95 percent of the feedback is positive but the reason we created this team was to promote the health benefits of beef,” Freel said. “There are all these misconceptions about beef and there are athletes that truly think they have to go vegetarian or vegan to be healthy and we’re here to say ‘Hey it’s not an all or nothing world. Here are some cuts that are good for you.’ Hopefully at the end of the day we’re able to shed some light on the issue and fight those stereotypes.” INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE small ads 3.56x4.8.indd 1
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3/28/14 10:15 AM
Barrington Middle School FFA sweeps at state Barrington Middle School’s FFA teams took home multiple awards at the state FFA competition and one team is advancing to nationals.
By Breanne Williams Barrington Middle School swept at the state FFA competition and one of its new teams is advancing to the national competition.
professional and continued as if there were no error. When the team finished, the vice president looked at her group and said “It’s over. We’re done, we’re not going to advance.”
Greg Lehman, an FFA advisor and agri-science teacher at Barrington Middle School, said the success of each year’s students is largely due to the work ethic of the previous teams.
Not only did the team advance in the preliminaries, they ended up winning state and moved forward to the national competition in October.
“The students that came before them did the foundation laying,” Lehman said. “Students saw the success and saw them getting awards at the state convention and they wanted to be a part of it.”
After the preliminaries a judge told Lehman the poise and professionalism of his team secured them a spot in the finals.
Lehman, a citrus major from Florida Georgia College, uses a hands on approach to coach his students to victory. He said he’s not going to show them a slideshow if he can take them out to see the real thing. He said each year he doesn’t think they will get the same level of talent as the previous years and yet he is constantly proven wrong. He said the level of expectation and the passion shown by previous students sparks a fire in the younger ones who apply to take their place. “I tell them that I expect perfection out of them,” Lehman said. “They have to be really close to perfect to make the team. But right before the contests I tell them that I don’t care if they place first or 21st. I just want them to try their best.” That passion and dedication bleeds over into even new competitions, like the Conduct of Chapter Meeting. This was not only the first time Barrington had a team, but also the very first time middle school students were allowed to participate in the competition. The contest shares aspects with parliamentary procedure, though Barrington said it is more limited. Because it was the first year, the team had no old material to study. Barrington and his co-teacher Brittney Coleman knew the basics of the event but were not experts in the competition. Lehman was convinced they wouldn’t win.
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In the preliminaries for the Conduct of Chapter Meeting, the vice president mixed up the order of the officers. Lehman said he didn’t even catch the mistake because she remained calm,
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Lehman said FFA impacts our future leaders. He said the competitions sharpen students edges and they learn not only how to work hard but also see first hand the benefits of hard work. Lehman said he doesn’t work in a rural area, that he’ll sometimes have students who have never even heard of the program. However, he is convinced that FFA changes lives. One parent told Lehman their son was planning on going down a business education track before getting involved in Barrington’s FFA. The program completely changed his passion and now he has altered his educational track and his career path to pursue agriculture. The family had no agricultural background and yet the son’s involvement in his middle school FFA was enough to kickstart his love of the industry. “Agriculture is very important for our community, for our state, for our nation and for our world,” Lehman said. “FFA is just such a good conduit to get students emerged in that and more educated about agriculture. It teaches them so much. They get so much leadership opportunities and opportunities to stretch themselves beyond what they would normally do.” Barrington Middle School’s FFA teams placed second in State Forestry, Second in State Citrus, First in State Food Science, First in Hillsborough County Nursery/Landscape, First in State Nursery/Landscape, first in State Floriculture, third in State Livestock with a state high individual, first in UF Vegetable Contest, first in Conduct of Chapter Meetings, third in parliamentary procedure, received Florida’s Finest Chapter award and the National Chapter Award with a finalist competing at the FFA National Convention. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
From ‘Chopped’ to Main Street
Plant City local creates southern inspired food truck. By Breanne Williams When Plant City local Devin Davis won the Food Network’s “Chopped” in 2014, he knew his future had endless possibilities. After using the scholarship from the show to complete culinary school at the Art Institute of Tampa, his advisors and family wanted him to pursue a masters in business administration. That left Davis with a tough choice. He could either work in a restaurant near Florida Southern in Lakeland, where he would pursue his degree, or he could try to do something on his own. Davis searched for jobs in restaurants that would allow him to continue to learn and still be flexible with his schooling. Nothing seemed to fit the bill. Then it clicked. Davis decided he was going to open his own food truck. “I didn’t find exactly what I was looking for job hunting and I felt like this was a relatively easy way to start my career,” Davis said. “I think it’s something I can do successfully while I try to complete my schooling because it’s flexible with hours and I’m not tied down to a location.” Davis has been operating his food truck called “The Kitchen” for approximately one month and he said the experience has been like no other. So far, he said he has loved every second of it and has thoroughly enjoyed getting to meet a lot of great people. His truck comes complete with a full commercial kitchen and can cook nearly anything a normal kitchen could. During food truck rallies, Davis said he often will find himself deep frying, grilling and creating everything from scratch right there in the truck. Davis has lived in Plant City since he was four years old and said the classic southern food he was raised on is a major inspiration for most of his dishes. “All I’ve ever known is Plant City,” Davis said. “Most of my heritage is growing up in the South and eating southern food. I like to use that as a jumping board, as inspiration. Not everything has to be classic southern food but I kind of use that to influence whatever I’m making.” Outside of the monthly food truck rally, Davis also caters for a variety of events. One of his first events in the area was to cater for the Florida Strawberry Growers Association’s kick-off meeting.
“I believe your food is as good as the ingredients you put in it,” Davis said. His current menu, which he showcases at each Main Street Food Truck Rally in Plant City, gives a southern twist to fan favorites. Some of his top items include a chicken sandwich and a cuban, which he completely sold out of during his first appearance in Plant City. Throughout the evening “The Kitchen” served over 120 people, many of whom stopped to give positive feedback on the cuisine. “It’s wonderful,” Pam Lennard, a customer at the food truck rally, said. “I ordered the chicken biscuit and I really enjoyed the pickled tomato on the top. As often as he comes, we’ll probably show up.” Davis said part of the appeal is that he is bringing a new line of food truck cuisine to the area. He focuses on using local and fresh ingredients and makes everything from scratch. He said the attendance at the Main Street event is also growing and he believes the event is extremely beneficial to Plant City. “I think food trucks are really great for Plant City because I think it needs more restaurants and places to get good food and I think Plant City will be receptive to some new food concepts since it’s just the chains we have and a few of our great local restaurants,” Davis said. On top of the Plant City rally, Davis also attends the Downtown Channelside food truck rally, caters for a variety of events and plans to be present at the South Eastern University football games for the tailgating. He said he is looking for new places to grow his business and hopes to have a routine soon for customers to know when to expect him in their neighborhood. Davis said his ideal future would involve him owning multiple restaurants or food trucks so he could explore all the various types of food he loves making. “The Kitchen” is a perfect place to start because, according to Davis, it is an embodiment of his roots and there is nowhere else he’d rather start his career than in the town he grew up in. “I’m getting to cook things that I love and I get to do it in my hometown,” Davis said. “I think people will be very receptive of it.”
Part of his menu that evening included homemade mashed potatoes, braised pork shoulder and homemade peach cobbler with peaches from Parksdale. Davis said he buys as much of his produce from local vendors as possible and works to include seasonal items, like a peach cobbler, so he can use fresh ingredients while they’re in season. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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813-628-0600 FLAORGANIC.COM
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FOOD AND RESOURCE ECONOMICS PROGRAM COMING TO UF-PLANT CITY Anticipated to Become ‘Most Popular’ Program
By Jim Frankowiak
Kenneth Parker, Dr. Jack Rechcigl, Luis M. Pena-Levano PhD, Paul Davis A long sought after program that benefits area agriculture, agribusinesses, students and the community at large is coming to the University of Florida-Plant City campus and will be offered to interested students in early 2018. With the introduction of the Food & Resource Economics (FRE) Program in early 2018, the Plant City campus of the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (IFAS-CALS) will have three degree programs: FRE, Agricultural Education and Communication, Geomatics, and Environmental Management. The FRE Program is headed by Luis M. Pena-Levano, PhD, who recently joined the Plant City faculty and is heavily involved in program development for the upcoming semester. A native of Peru, Pena-Levano received his doctorate in Agricultural International Trade from Purdue University, his Master in Science in Agricultural and Applied Economics from the University of Georgia and Bachelor of Science in Food Science and Agro industry Engineering for Zamorano University, Honduras.
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“The strong presence of agribusiness in Plant City and the surrounding communities is evident,” said Plant City faculty member Debra Barry. “The opportunity to offer a local degree program in Food & Resource Economics and to support these businesses and the agriculture industry is one that has been in the making for over ten years. Students have shown great interest in this degree and many UF alumni from this department reside in the area and are most supportive of this initiative. Students who are not able to leave the area, either because of family agribusiness obligations or any number of reasons can now earn their degree at the UF Plant City Campus. A local survey showed strong interest in the addition of this program, and with Dr. Pena-Levano on campus, it is fully open for student registration this coming Spring semester.”
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Students can transfer in with their Associate of Arts (AA) degree, and with the required pre-requisite courses and are able to complete two years of additional coursework and earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Food & Resource Economics with a specialization in Food and Agribusiness Marketing & Management. Students in the FRE Program will take courses in business management, trade, macroeconomics, marketing strategies, international agribusiness marketing, leadership and more. “The UF/IFAS College of Agricultural and Life Sciences is looking forward to the addition of the FRE bachelor’s degree program at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center – Plant City,” said CALS Dean Dr. R. Elaine Turner. “This program will complement other bachelor’s degree offerings at this location and allow local students interested in agribusiness to complete a UF degree without coming to Gainesville. We appreciate the support of our stakeholders in bringing this concept to reality and look forward to educating future agribusiness leaders from this location.” Enrollment at the Plant City campus has increased dramatically over the past year and is now approaching 60 students. “The Food and Resource Economics Department is very pleased to work with our UF/IFAS partners in CALS and at the GCREC to meet the interests and needs of potential students who want to stay in the Plant City area as they pursue agribusiness training,” noted Professor and FRE Chair Dr. Spiro Stefanou. “The fresh fruit and vegetable industry in the Plant City area is passionate about the creation of these opportunities for young people in the area and was an important force in making the FRE Program at UF-Plant City happen. While UF/IFAS has been a close partner with the agriculture community for many decades for production, marketing, natural resource management and community and economic develWWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
opment, we are excited about adding residential education contributions to this portfolio of service to an important Florida community. We have high expectations of success and we look forward to this public-private collaboration.” That support was especially critical as IFAS budget cuts of $6.6 million By Governor Rick Scott prompted the institution of a hiring freeze by UF Senior Vice President for Agriculture and Natural Resources. “However, Dr. Payne permitted the addition of Dr. Pena-Levano to the Plant City campus in recognition of the ongoing need for the FRE Program and immediate and substantial financial support the program received from the community,” said Dr. Chip Hinton, a UF alumnus, agribusiness member and earliest supporter of the FRE program for the UF Plant City campus. “Ever since joining UF, Jack has been a strong supporter of our industry and community.” Florida Strawberry Grower Association (FSGA) Executive Director and Hillsborough County Farm Bureau President Kenneth Parker, also a longtime advocate of the FRE Program locally, “recognized how the state budget cuts jeopardized the institution of the FRE program and he accelerated the effort to raise community support,” said Hinton.
come part of the locally awarded and managed scholarship fund. “We chose to support the FRE Program because it benefits our local agricultural community and our local agriculture students,” said Paul Davis, Florida Strawberry Festival President. “The festival and the FSGA each agreed to contribute $75,000 towards funding the FRE educational program. What better way to support our local agricultural endeavors than to help provide continuing education for many of our future agriculturists.” With regard to FRE Program growth, “I am confident that this program will soon become the most popular degree pursued at our Plant City campus,” Said Dr. Jack Rechcigl, Director of the UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center
Luis M. Pena-Levano, PhD, “We knew early on the need to generate community support, including financial assistance and were moving forward with the solicitation of contributions,” said Parker. “I was pleased to see the flow of support, but when the budget cuts were announced, we needed substantial and immediate commitments to meet the UF requirement for annual support of $30,000 for the first five years the FRE Program was in place locally. Thanks to the Florida Strawberry Festival and FSGA that full commitment was met and UF also agreed that financial support beyond the annual $30,000 level would remain in Plant City for scholarships benefitting students at UF here. UF will use the annual $30,000 to fund needed adjunct professors and guest lecturers who will be involved in the FRE program. UF anticipates FRE Program growth at the Plant City campus will reach a level in five years or less that will negate the need for funding in which case contributed funds will be-
Prospective students interested in pursuing degrees at the UF Plant City campus in any of the four degree program areas are encouraged to contact Academic Advisor Jason Steward via email: jsteward@ufl.edu or by phone: 813-757-2280. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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which includes the center at Balm and local UF campus. “This is a huge win with broad benefits,” said Parker. “We have a pool of high quality young men and women within driving distance of the Plant City UF campus who, for a variety of reasons, are unable to attend classes at the Gainesville campus and pursue a degree in FRE. Family farmers are good at farming, but they need to keep pace with agricultural advances to assure survival in this increasingly competitive market. Companies large and small, as well as Ag-affiliated businesses, have opportunities and requirements from FRE graduates. I appreciate the support of UF and our community, and I echo Chip’s thanks to Dr. Payne for his unwavering help.”
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~ Ron W., a patient of South Florida Baptist Hospital
The Care You Need, When You Need It. Ron had always been healthy and active. But then he faced a life-threatening blood clot. Ron chose South Florida Baptist Hospital for their advanced technology and the excellent care he knew he’d receive. A member of the community since 1953, South Florida Baptist Hospital was built on quality, compassionate care. You’ll find a highly skilled and experienced team that works to make patients and visitors as comfortable as possible during their hospital experience. When you’re treated at South Florida Baptist Hospital, you’ll feel at home, close to home — all your health care needs are covered, without ever leaving Plant City.
Choose South Florida Baptist Hospital. Let South Florida Baptist Hospital be your partner for getting you well and keeping you well. Fill out a health profile online at SouthFloridaBaptistCare.org and you’ll be sent a complimentary travel first aid kit.
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At Gus Trent’s 5th Annual Rodeo Fest This month’s adventure was quite an interesting one as I took the kids to Gus Trent’s 5th Annual Rodeo Fest. The last time the kids went to a rodeo was years ago and they were too young to even remember that they’d been to one. Except J, of course, and though I had hoped he’d be more enthusiastic about this event, I was sorely disappointed when I told him what I had planned. “I don’t want to go to a rodeo,” he told me bluntly. I’ll admit, I have to at least appreciate his candor. The rodeo was to start at 6 and last until 8:30. It was located at the Florida State Fairgrounds and I’m quite thankful that it was an indoor event because when we left our house, in North Lakeland, we found ourselves driving through a monsoon. Or, at least that’s how it felt. The torrential downpour was almost enough to make me rethink my plans. But, I had no backup and it was already two days before the article was due. So, off we went. About half way there, the kids reminded me that we hadn’t eaten dinner. So, we stopped at Subway, a place J proclaimed he’d never been. Obviously, he had forgotten plenty of sub dinners prior to the advent of Firehouse. Anyway, we ate our food with Zeke being exceptionally hyper active and got back on the road.
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Sadly, the torrential rains had not dissipated by the time we found our parking place. We entered the stadium soaking wet. I was glad it wasn’t an air-conditioned locale, that’s for sure. I fought with Zeke about not sitting on the stairs in the bleachers as he was still apparently hyped up by the lollipop I had given he and Hazel prior to eating dinner. I have to make a note of that for future endeavors.
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By Ginny Mink
After some introductory things, bull riding was the first event. Zeke looked at me and said, “Can we buy an animal.” I’m not sure where he thought we were, but I had to explain to him that there were no animals for sale and that even if there had been I wouldn’t be buying one. “Buy us a horse.” He told me indignantly. I told him I couldn’t afford one. He responded, “Get a cheap one.” His tone implied that this was an obvious compromise. So, I explained to him that if I found a horse I could afford, it wouldn’t be one that he could ride. This made him all the more annoyed. I just shook my head. “Why can’t I ride some of the horses?” Hazel wanted to know. I sighed. This was not turning out the way I had intended. Bull riding came to a close and calf roping was next on the agenda. “They’re killing them!” Zeke and Hazel shouted. “No, they are just tying them up,” I explained. “Is that one dead?” Zeke asked when the wee black calf failed to move. Again, I explained the concept. But he and Hazel were both upset about the calves. Each time one ended up on the ground I was asked if it was dead. “Can we leave this studio?” Zeke asked me several times. Why he thought it was a studio, or if he even knows what one is, I don’t know. And even though I tried to explain to him that it wasn’t, he was adamant. He wanted to go see the rest of the “carnival.” I realized then that he understood we were at the fairgrounds and therefore anticipated a “fair” experience. He was sorely disappointed. Thankfully, the next event was mounted shooting. When I informed them that the riders were going to shoot I got two very worried remarks. “Are they going to shoot the cows?” Zeke wanted to know. And, Hazel was visibly concerned, “Are WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
they going to shoot the horses?” But, when they discovered that the balloons were the targets, and the excitement began, they were both thrilled.
the kids wanted to ride in the carriage Gus had brought out for he and his betrothed to ride in. They were again disappointed, but I was glad that we got to see that super cool “surprise.”
Zeke was clapping his hands and smiling wildly. Hazel, was cheering on the women hoping that they wouldn’t miss. I could tell J was thoroughly impressed with the skill levels of the riders. I had to sneak glances at him since he’s none too keen on being photographed.
When I asked them, on the way home, what their favorite part was, shooting seemed to be the unanimous answer. Even J was talking about the skill necessary to hit balloons while riding on a horse. We were all enamored by the man that used a rifle to do so. He was truly impressive. And, though I’m not sure I would take the kids again, simply because they were less enthralled than I had hoped, I would recommend it to people who are thrilled by the rodeo experience. It will be happening again next year, so keep your ears open!
We decided to leave at intermission as it was already past bedtime. And to my shock, Zeke did not want to go. We stayed only a few more minutes, but it was long enough for Gus Trent to propose to his soon to be wife. Of course, then
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A Closer LookAmazing Activities Naturally
by Sean Green
Jacobs Ladder
Early pioneers of Florida made their own goods, including toys. Jacobs ladder was a popular toy that is known to exist in the late 19th Century, as evident in the publication Scientific America, October 12, 1889, in which a review of the toys construction and mechanics was featured. The name of the toy references the Biblical Jacobs ladder described in the book of Genesis (28:12). Because of the Biblical reference, Jacobs Ladder is one of the toys early puritan children were allowed to construct and play with. This month’s project is a modern version of Jacobs Ladder using readily available materials but still retains the spirit of the pioneer toys and lots of fun to make and use.
Materials:
• 1/8” 2x 24 (to be cut) OR 12 wooden slats (1/8” 2x2) * To be glued together to make 6 segments • Ribbon (1/8” wide) 2 ½ times total length (i.e. 6 slats x 2” = (12”) x 2.5 = 30”) • Wood glue • Binder Clips OPTIONAL: • Wood stain, polyurethane, • Brush, lint-free rag • Teak Oil (suggested) • Sand Paper (suggested) • Saw (if cutting your own slats) • Measure and cut 2x2 square slats • Holding two slats together, sand each pair to round the edges and corners * keep each set together for proper fit. • Lay out the slats • On the inside of the bottom slat, draw 3 guidelines for the ribbon. ------------------ These steps repeat -------------------------------• Spread glue on the bottom slat (the one with guidelines) • Glue the center ribbon to the bottom slat with the tail of the ribbon leading to the LEFT • Glue the two side ribbons to the bottom slat with the tail of the ribbon leading to the RIGHT • Spread glue on the top slat, carefully glue the set together. • Clap the set with binder clips, allow to dry for 30 minutes * You will glue only when the tails of the ribbon are facing this way. ------------------ These steps repeat ------------------------------------------------------------------• DO NOT GLUE...Fold the ribbons over the (now glued set) so the unglued tails are facing the opposite direction i.e.: center ribbon leads (Right), side ribbons lead (Left)
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• Repeat the above steps * When gluing the last set, cut the ribbon to prevent it from hanging out of the side.
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A Closer Look A Closer Look
by Sean Green
Cicada Killer (Sphecius speciosus ) This time of the year is the peak of the reproductive cycle for the Cicada Killer and it corresponds with the emergence of cicada in Florida. In other states, groups of cicada species are described as “periodical” because they synchronize their egg laying schedule (oviposition),and larval development to withhold adult cicada emergence for periods as long as 17 years. The mass emergence of “periodical” cicada is actually a defense mechanism that overwhelms predators with populations too enormous diminish. The reproductive behavior of the periodical cicada guarantees a breeding population will survive even after predators have had their fill. In Florida, however, our 19 species of resident cicada are classified as an “annual” species. Although they may take up to a decade to develop underground and complete their lifecycle, Florida cicada have emerging populations every year and our abundance of natural predators keep these populations in check. Among the many predators of cicada are birds, rodents, small mammals, reptiles, and fish but one of the most impressive predators, in my opinion, is the cicada killer, a large beneficial wasp belonging to the genus Specius. This month we’ll take a closer look at the characteristics and behavior of one of the largest members of the wasp family, the cicada killer wasp. Cicada killers (Sphecius) are a solitary species. They do not have the colony defense function of eusocial wasps such as paper wasps (Polistes). We have four species of cicada killer in North America, two of which are found in Florida. The Eastern cicada killer (Sphecius speciosus) is the most common of our Florida species and can be recognized by its black and yellow markings resembling yellowjacket or hornet. The cicada killer however, is much larger than other wasps and commonly measures up to two inches long. Another Florida resident, the Caribbean cicada killer (Sphecius hogardii), is somewhat rare and typically found in the Neotropic regions of what we call South Florida, which is roughly south off Sarasota County. The Caribbean cicada killer (Sphecius hogardii) can be recognized by a nearly solid rust orange coloration of the abdomen that is often, but not always, tipped in black. About 90 percent of a cicada’s life is spent in their underground burrow as larvae and pupae. New adults begin emerging around July; males first, followed by females a couple weeks later. These adults will only live for another three to six weeks to reproduce and complete their lifecycle. Unmated females emit a pheromone, which attracts males for mating. Once mated,
Successful hunting is just as exacting as the burrow location and is dependent on environmental conditions. According to studies conducted by Professor Chuck Holliday, the weather must be warm, sunny, and have a relative humidity of less than 90%. The female cicada killer is a formidable huntress and in research studies, has been observed meticulously winding her way up through the trees to survey each branch for cicada. Researchers report that more than twice as many female cicada are taken than are male cicada inferring that it is unlikely that cicada find their prey by sound (Dambach and Good, 1943). The female cicada killer hunts not for herself, but to feed her offspring. Adult cicada killer wasps feed on flower nectar and sap that flows through legions on the tree, but her offspring need to feed on adult cicada to develop. The female cicada killer hunts all day long, from 8:00am to 8:00pm to collect cicada that will be sealed into a larva chamber. Each chamber is a one room nursery for a single larva and one or more cicada for them to feed on. Female cicada killers must decide the sex of each egg before digging because her hunting strategy will change depending on the sex of the egg. The mated female stores sperm in small sacs called spermathecae. A male egg is the result of withholding sperm when she lays an egg. A female egg however, is created when sperm is released from the spermathecae as the egg passes through the oviduct. A female will leave the burrow after digging a nest chamber to hunt for cicada. Once an adult cicada is found, the wasp paralyses it with a single sting and begins the daunting task of getting it back to the burrow. This is no easy task because the adult cicada is often two or three times heavier than the wasp and difficult to fly with. Research-
ers have observed wasps climbing up trees with the cicada in their clutches to launch themselves from an appropriate height to glide, rather than fly, as close as possible to her burrow, then drag the victim to their demise. If the egg is a male, the chamber gets one cicada and if female, two or more cicada. The cicada is placed within the brood cell, paralyzed, but alive and a single egg is deposited onto the cicada. She is, again, very particular about egg placement, it is always placed on the underside of the thorax under the right or left second leg. This extreme precision is apparently necessary to keep the egg and larva safe from the occasional twitching of the paralyzed prey’s legs and mouthparts. When you hear the call of the cicada, if you look in the right place, you may just find swarms of monster size wasps hovering a couple feet above the ground. These are likely to be the cicada killer and are to focused on hunting cicada to be a danger to human beings. Cicada activity began ramping up in June, but August and September are the most active month for most species of cicada in Florida. Many will begin to die off in October with only a few species making it through November into December. It is likely you will find many dead cicada killer wasps that have finished their lifecycle, the dead wasps are safe to carefully pick up and examine so long as the stinger end is carefully avoided. Although the wasp is dead, one could suffer a passive sting from the protruding stinger. Chuck Holliday, emeritus professor of biology, at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania once maintained a web site to host his nearly 30 years of research of cicada killer wasps (Spheciu), from its archives, an amazing account of the biology, physiology and systematics of the cicada killer wasps contribute to a substantial body of knowledge making the cicada killer wasp a better understood insect than the cicada it hunts. Much of professor Holliday’s research was the basis of this article and much more information about this species can be accessed from the archived web site at the following url: h t t p : // w e b . a r c h i v e . o r g / web/20150202003919/http://web.archive.org:80/web/20141022032916/ http://sites.lafayette.edu/hollidac/research/biology-of-cicada-killer-wasps INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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the female will reject other males, sometimes violently, and begin searching for a nesting location. She is fussy about location, her ideal burrow will be made in well drained grass or ivy covered sand with an eastern or southern exposure that is close to deciduous trees hosting plenty of cicada. Once an ideal site is located, she spends hours digging a burrow, then walks and flies around the opening making a series of “orientation passes.” Her orientation passes have an oval flight pattern back and forth extending farther from her borrow each time, often as far as 20 yards, until she has memorized the area surrounding her burrow, only then will she begin to hunt.
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NOVEMBER 2013
GUARDIAN SOIL SOLUTIONS:
Helping Farmers Get Back to the Basics and More It All Begins with Healthy Soil By Jim Frankowiak
Josh Young is not a new name to agriculture, but he and partner Justin Taggart have a new company: Guardian Soil Solutions. They want to help growers succeed by getting back to the farming practices that were developed and implemented generations ago, but gave way to other initiatives that have not been as successful. In the course of reaching the goals for this new company, they also have a full arsenal of additional services and an international network of expertise to help get the job done, regardless of the area needing attention, plus an experienced team of field consultants. Young leads the field team, while Taggart has responsibility for marketing and internal operations. Guardian Soil Solutions is a multifaceted agribusiness that specializes in soil health. “We use a holistic approach to the overall business of the farm, but we recognize that it all starts with the soil,” said Taggart. “Healthy soil is needed to grow healthier crops with much higher yields. This, in turn, results in a healthier bottom line for our growers.” “Since the days immediately after World War II, we have taken all of the carbon out of our soils,” noted Young. “Decades of using harsh, toxic chemicals have depleted our soils of carbon, causing yields, and therefore income, to steadily decrease.” “Once I came to the realization several years ago that our soils are continuing to get worse and worse every year, I began an in depth study of soil science, taking a very close look at scientific findings from experts around the world. I could not continue to watch growers go out of business while they worked harder and harder and earned less and less.” “Over the last two years, I have sought to find a solution that would keep the American farmers’ profits in their own pockets,” said Young. “The answer lies within the health of their soil. Nutrition farming is God’s way to farm and turns out to be the most beneficial, beneficial to our children’s health and beneficial to the health of the earth we all share. It turns out to be much more profitable, too.” One scientist, in particular, that drew Young’s attention during his quest for solutions was Graeme Sait of Australia, a recognized world leader in soil science, as well as sustainable agriculture and founder of Nutri-Tech Solutions. “I have become a disciple of his,” said Young. “His 10 reasons to embrace biological agriculture cannot be denied and have helped guide the focus of our company.”
far too many farmers,” said Taggart. “If you do not have a healthy soil, you will not grow healthy crops and you will continue to make less and less money. It’s really as simple as that. If you look at other industrialized nations around the world, they have already come to this realization and have made soil health a priority. Not surprisingly, they are much healthier than we are. The latest figures from the World Health Organization rank us 31st in life expectancy.” The concepts and practices espoused by Sait and other researchers around the world have been put into place by Young and his colleagues at the Guardian Soil Solutions citrus research grove in Howey- in- the- Hills, Florida. “It was a dead citrus grove ravaged by citrus greening that was literally brought back to life through nutrition farming while using no harsh chemicals,” said Young. “We offer periodic research grove tours so farmers can see the results of nutrition farming first hand.” Initial Guardian Solutions focus is on citrus and strawberry growers, but nutrition farming is applicable to most any crop and of benefit to cattle operations, as well. In addition to helping growers in the field, Young and Taggart are also on a quest to help educate the total community about the need for a return to basics of agriculture through nutrition farming since the benefits apply to all of us. November 27-30, Sait and Joel Williams, an international consultant on soil biology, will be conducting a four-day Nutrition Farming seminar at the Don Cesar Resort, St. Petersburg Beach. The seminar also offers an optional Fruit Field Day, which will permit attendees to visit Pepper Barry Farm, Fancy Farms and Guardian Soil Solutions Citrus Research Grove to view how these operations are improving the quality and health of their soil and their crops through the utilization of nutrition farming techniques. Seminar registration is available at: www.agriculturesolutions.ca/events , by email: info@agriculturesolutions.ca or by phone: 855-247-6548, Extension 6. There are costs associated with both the seminar and tour. For more information about Guardian Soil Solutions, visit: www.guardiansoilsolutions.com or “friend” the company on Facebook. You may also call: 813-704-4568.
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“We specialize in soil health because it is literally the foundation of agriculture, a vital base that has lost its focus among
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EXTENSION HONORS Dianna Barnitt By Jim Frankowiak
Derek live in Pasco County and Anthony lives in Brandon.” Dianna began her career with Hillsborough County government in 1985, working in the Division of Community Services. “In 1993, I was offered the Executive Secretary position at Extension by Mike McKinney who was the director at that time. My job titles have changed over the past 25 years, and I have always been the director’s assistant, working closely with six Extension directors.”
Current and former agents, staff members, family and friends recently gathered to honor just-retired colleague Dianna Barnitt for her more than 31 years of service with Hillsborough County government, with 25 of those years at the Hillsborough County University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension. The celebration brought together more than 60 of Dianna’s colleagues, including current Director Stephen Gran and former directors Mary Chernesky, Mike McKinney, Joe Pergola and Brent Broaddus. “Dianna has been my right hand whose institutional memory and calm demeanor helped manage the at times complex processes we face with efficiency and calmness,” said Gran, who presented Dianna with a slate plaque and monetary gift certificate funded by her colleagues.
“Most rewarding to me has been knowing I gave my all by going above and beyond to get the job done, where ever or what needed to be done” she said. “Working with two separate entities (UF and Hillsborough County) could be very challenging and we made it work. I enjoyed telling others about the many services offered by Extension, as well as working with many very talented agents and great support staff, watching them blossom and move up in their careers. I felt I made a difference in other’s lives.” Dianna also served as a Master Gardener volunteer. Jennifer Groff, who now works in the office of Hillsborough County Commissioner Al Higginbotham, told attendees of how she started her career as the Extension receptionist full of youthful fire and how Dianna helped her calm down, but also encouraged her to study for other jobs, improve her skills, move up in the system, and has remained a mentor and advisor through the years even after leaving Extension for positions at the County Center.
Each of the former Extension Directors was highly complementary of Dianna’s organizational skills, her quiet patience and ability to offer a better way to get something done. “Dianna is one of those rare finds in life,” said Broaddus, who served as an interim director and is now a member of the 4-H Regional Specialized Youth Development Faculty in the South Central District. “She is fiercely loyal, always willing to find a way around obstacles and an eternal optimist. Many times, Dianna was a faithful friend, sounding board and inspiration to never give up.” “Dianna always managed to find time to help,” said retired Nutrition and Health Extension Agent Mary Keith. “When we had changes in the computer systems working between the University and the county, she knew what the ‘code words’ were to get reports accepted when I was at my wit’s end. And she would ask me to find nutrition information to help her friends and family. She cared about and tried to help take care of everybody. I wish her all the best!” A native Floridian, Dianna was born in Ybor City “in the back of my grandfather’s car just minutes away from the old St. Joseph’s Hospital. My family and I moved to California when I was five-years-old. We returned to Tampa when I was 12.” She attended H.B. Plant and King high schools, graduating from Brandon High School in 1973 just as her father and uncle had. “During those years, I enjoyed barrel racing, horse shows and riding with my sister in south Brandon. I spent a lot of time at the beach with family and friends and helped my Granny Mary with her plant nursery.”
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“I have two adult children, Michelle Castellano-Mando and Anthony Castellano,” she said. “Michelle and her husband
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Special attendees at the event included Dianna’s mother and her daughter, each speaking of their pride in Dianna. They have accompanied her on foreign travels and she looks forward to spending time with them, their families and friends, as well as continuing genealogy research, reading and continuing to enjoy time at the beach. Dianna also plans to continue her volunteer activities with the Ybor City Saturday Market and the Master Gardener program. The Extension team led by Lynn Barber and Jackie Hunter, arranged to meet Dianna’s request for mini sandwiches, cupcakes and ice cream in her favorite colors of purple pink and green at the party. Table décor, in the same colors, included little fairy or angel figures, favorites of Dianna and on display in her Extension office. “It was a room filled with love and appreciation,” said Dianna. “I was filled with joy and feel so blessed. I was amazed at the number of people that came, and was so happy to see everyone, some from many years ago. So many expressed such kind works that continue to warm my heart. I went away feeling in awe and kept saying to myself – Wow, just wow!” WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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