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Hillsborough County Farm Bureau
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Contents
VOL. 9 • ISSUE 11
Feature Keel & Curley Winery Pa ge
54
Cover photo by Stephanie Humphrey
Getting The Dirt
Page 10
Page 38
Alafia River
Fisher Honey Bees
Page 14
Page 40
Taking Over The World With Ice Cream
Kenna Hunter
Page 43
Page 17 Recipes Tampa Bay Fishing Report
Page 50
Page 18
Florida Agritourism
Page 52 Uncle Mike’s Smokehouse Grill
Page 22 Citrus Hall of Fame
Page 26
Page 80 What’s New At
An Over Night Success
Southside
Page 86
Page 31
Easton Corbin
Sugar Apples
Page 96
Page 33 The Cutting Edge
Page 35 4
INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
Office Hours: Monday - Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Insurance Services: 813.685.5673 Member Services: 813.685.9121
OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Danny Aprile ..............................President
Bill Burnett .........................Vice President Jemy Hinton ..............................Treasurer
The Azorin Family
Rocking Chair Chatter
100 S. Mulrennan Rd. Valrico, FL 33594
SEPTEMBER 2013
DIRECTORS FOR 2012-2013
Amanda Collins, Roy Davis, David Drawdy, Jim Dyer, James Frankowiak, Stefan Katzaras, Greg Lehman, Kenneth Parker, Jake Raburn, Alex Ritzheimer, Marty Tanner, James Tew, Patrick Thomas, Ron Wetherington, Michelle Williamson, Will Womack, Ray Wood
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. Julie Carlson, John McGuire
Plant City Office 813.752.5577
1302 S. Collins St., Plant City, FL 33563 Jeff Sumner Bill Williams
Tampa Office 813.933.5440
1046 W. Busch Blvd., Ste. 100 Tampa, FL 33612 Greg Harrell, Jeff Harper, Ralph Russo
AGENCY MANAGER Tommy Hale
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From the Editor
ITFM Staff PUBLISHER/PHOTOGRAPHY Karen Berry EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Al Berry SENIOR MANAGING EDITOR/ ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Sarah Holt EDITOR Patsy Berry
Why read about agriculture? Why learn about the people who grow the food that feeds our nation? Aren’t you interested in knowing how the earth produces food? We have to have food to sustain life and that should be enough to interest you as to where and how your food is grown or raised. Another reason is that agriculture needs you. Each and every one of us is involved in agriculture, whether we grow food, raise livestock for consumption, or eat... there is a little bit of agriculture in us all! Our ancestors, for most of history, had close ties to the land. The importance of agriculture could not be ignored. Today, many in cities have forgotten this tie, or maybe never learned of it. Food appears to be abundant and the fact that our food comes from a farm or ranch in the initial stages, is a piece of history to many. It is far removed from their thoughts even as they shop for groceries and cook meals. It's an industry that is not going away. Agriculture provides food, and other materials that we use on a daily basis. In addition, it provides jobs to a large number of our population. We hope to help our readers that are not farmers and ranchers, remember their connection to the land. Today’s average consumer is three generations removed from the farm, so more than ever, the consumer needs information to understand agriculture, both animal and plant based. Check labels to ensure your food is Fresh From Florida. Be an informed consumer so we can continue to have the safest, most abundant food supply in the world. Until Next Month,
Sarah
The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. –Numbers 6:25
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. Published by Berry Publications, Inc.
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OFFICE MANAGER Bob Hughens SALES MANAGER Danny Crampton SALES Al Berry Tina Richmond Danny Crampton Melissa Nichols Mel Gunn CREATIVE DIRECTOR Mona Jackson PHOTOGRAPHY Karen Berry Al Berry Stephanie Humphrey STAFF WRITERS Al Berry Sandy Kaster James Frankowiak Sean Green Ginny Mink Libby Hopkins CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Woody Gore Les McDowell
Index of Advertisers ABC Pizza.........................................................93 Ace Air Conditioning & Electric.....................93 Ag Technologies ............................................71 Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers.....................65 Antioch Feed and Farm Supply.......................24 Aquarius Water Refining .................................97 Astin Strawberry Exchange .............................19 Bankers South...................................................61 Bill’s Transmissions...........................................32 Bingham............................................................73 Brandon Auto Services, Inc..............................44 Brandon Regional Hospital.............................48 Brewington’s .....................................................85 Broke & Poor...................................................13 Cameron Financial...........................................23 Cecil Breeding Farm.........................................16 Certis..................................................................58 Choo Choo Lawn Equipment..................9 & 102 Chuck’s Tire & Automotive ................................12 Crescent Jewelers............................................. 69 Dad’s Towing....................................................68 Discount Metals...................................................90
Index of Advertisers Dr. Barry Gaffney O.D. PA.............................................87 Driscoll’s............................................................................68 East Coast Ag Products...................................................53 Everglades Farm Equipment ........................................104 Farm Bureau Insurance/Jeff Sumner..............................15 Farm Credit ......................................................................83 Felton’s ..............................................................................51 Fischbach Land Company..............................................45 Fishhawk Sporting Clays ................................................19 Florida Ag in the Classroom...........................................75 Florida Dept. of Agriculture............................................59 Florida Mineral, Salt & Agricultural Products.............39 Florida Strawberry Growers Assoc................................62 Forbes Road Produce......................................................12 Fred’s Market.................................................................. 44 Gator Ford .....................................................................103 Gier Roofing Services...................................................93 Grimes Hardware Center ...............................................65 Grove Equipment Service ..............................20, 37 & 42 Gulf Coast Tractor...........................................................95 Harold’s Feed & Pet Supply .............................................3 Harrell’s Nursery, Inc.......................................................75 Haystack Farms, Inc........................................................75 Haught Funeral Home....................................................67 Helena Chemical-Tampa ................................................90 Highland Packaging Solutions........................................23 Hillsboro Bank.................................................................76 Hillsborough County Farm Bureau...............................66 Hillsborough County Farm Bureau Insurance.............98 I-4 Power Equipment ......................................................25 International Paper...........................................................91 Jane Baer Realty.............................................................100 Jarrett-Scott Ford................................................................2 Johnson’s Barbeque..........................................................36 Jon & Rosie’s Tree Farm.................................................93 Jumpin Crazy ...................................................................13 Keel & Curley Winery ....................................................29 Ken’s Well Drilling & Pump Services, Inc.....................36 Key Plex ............................................................................84 Loetscher Auto Parts .......................................................74 Malissa Crawford............................................................99 Mark Smith Excavating..................................................19 Mosaic...............................................................................26 Myers Cleaners.................................................................44 Pathway BioLogic............................................................34 Plant City Homestyle Buffet..............................................5 Plant City Times & Observer.........................................82 Plant City Tire & Auto Service, Inc...............................75 Platinum Bank..................................................................46 QLF Specialty Products...................................................32 Railroad Credit Union.....................................................78 Ranch Rodeo ...................................................................92 Rogers Pump Service.......................................................75 Savich & Lee / Stalnaker......................................20 & 21 Seedway ............................................................................28 Shrimp & Co Express.....................................................19 Southern Elite ...................................................................79 Southside Farm & Pet Supply ............................ 30 & 94 South Florida Baptist Hospital .........................................7 Southwestern Produce Company...................................27 Squeal Deal.......................................................................93 Stephanine Humphrey.....................................................69 Super Service Tire & Auto..............................................85 The Hay Depot................................................................99 Thompson Nursery & Vineyard ...................................93 Timberlane Pet Hospital & Resort .....................27 & 63 Trinkle, Redman, Swanson, Coton, Davis & Smith .................................................................82 Uncle Mike’s Smokehouse Grill .....................................49 Vertigro .............................................................................53 Walden Lake Car Wash ..................................................93 Wert’s Welding & Tank Service, Inc..............................78 Willie’s ...............................................................................53 Woodside Dental..............................................................83 W W W. 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100 South Mulrennan Road • Valrico, FL 33594 • 813-685-9121
Summer Is Definitely Over Dear Readers: Summer is definitely over and there’s a good deal going on these days. Our strawberry growers are hard at it once again. Let’s hope the weather treats them right along with market conditions and the availability of sufficient labor to pick those delicious berries. Mark your calendars for our annual Hillsborough County Farm Bureau meeting Thursday, October 3. We will be meeting at a new location, the Madonia Agricultural Center on the Strawberry Festival grounds. Our meeting will once again begin with a barbecued steak dinner at 6 p.m. If you have not already received information about the meeting, it should be reaching you shortly. We have just completed the first of three legislative tours, involving our local, state and national legislators. Each of these sessions is an opportunity for legislators to experience first hand many aspects of the agriculture industry here in central Florida. As the second largest industry in Florida, it is important for those who represent us in government to see what the industry is doing to contribute to the economic well-being of our state, nation and even the world. Additionally, none of us should ever forget it’s this industry that continues to produce the food we eat with unmatched availability and value. These three sessions are offering invaluable insight to areas such as scientific advancements, Best Management Practices (BMPs), and soil and water conservation techniques to name just a few.
Understanding and recognizing the challenges our industry faces through these kinds of personal experiences are most helpful when we seek legislative assistance and support from our lawmakers. I appreciate the cooperation of those locations that we are visiting, the participation of our board members and others such as Extension and the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center at Balm. Without this collective assistance, we would not be able to undertake this important educational initiative with our lawmakers. Lastly, my thanks to our elected leaders for taking part in these tours. We appreciate your time, interest and support. As always, if you are reading this letter and are not a member of our Farm Bureau family, please consider joining. You don’t have to be a farmer or rancher and membership is one of the best values available to you. We look forward to having your family join ours. For more information, please visit http:/ / hcfarmbureau.org or call 813/685-9121. Thank you,
Danny Danny Aprile – President
Board of Directors
Danny Aprile, President; Bill Burnett, Vice-President; Jemy Hinton Member-at-large; Amanda Collins, Roy Davis, David Drawdy, Jim Dyer, Jim Frankowiak, Stefan Katzaras, Greg Lehman, Kenneth Parker,Jake Raburn, Alex Ritzheimer, Marty Tanner, James Tew, Patrick Thomas, Ron Wetherington, Michelle Williamson, Will Womack and Ray Wood, Judi Whitson, Executive Director 8
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CUBAN AZORIN FAMILY
CELEBRATE 50TH YEAR BUSINESS IN PLANT CITY
OF
By Cheryl Kuck
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n 2013, the United States seems to be taking a more liberal view toward relations with Cuba, with the press eagerly reporting the spring fling of Jay-Z and Beyonce while other stars clamor to take fishing foray’s to one of Hemingway’s past playgrounds and Pope Benedict XVI ends his visit to Cuba by criticizing the 50-yearold trade embargo. However, the Plant City Cuban-born Azorin family well remembers the struggles of the past as they celebrate the 50-year anniversary and successes of their Florida Brick & Clay Company. After the bloody 1917 Spanish Civil War came to an end and with its economy collapsing, Pedro Azorin, with his wife Maria Josepha and their three small children, Manolo, Rogelio and Antonio, decided to leave those dire circumstances to begin a new life in Cuba. Cubans felt their way of life would never change…it’s amazing what 43 years can do Josefita, Jossie and Remy
Brick plant opening
to alter life as it was known to that point, in what was considered a land of sunshine and opportunity. As a result the unthinkable happened and, until 1959, the Azorin’s were known as leaders of status and wealth through the creation and expansion of a thriving brick company. “So what happened to this island of paradise which seemed to have so much going for it? Although there was a significant middle class in Cuba, most had no interest in the politics of the country and Cuban politics was filled with corruption,” recalls Tony Azorin, grandson of Pedro and current President of Florida Brick & Clay, during a speech related to Cuban immigration for the Smithsonian Journey Series held at the Plant City Photo Archives & History Center. “Things struck close to home when a close friend of the family, Marcelino Martinez, a lawyer and legislator, was arrested and shot at “el paredon” (the wall), the name given to the place where people were shot
by firing squad. Fear was growing everyday as people were arrested and sentenced with only mock trials taking place, if any at all.” “In October of 1960, Castro’s rebels came with rifles to the brick plant and told my uncle Rogelio that their businesses now belonged to ‘the revolution’. They were told they would have to train the new managers of the company. Initially, only commercial properties were taken away, but later we were told we could stay in our homes, but they no longer belonged to us.” “The family decided it was time to leave the country and try, for the second time, to start-over in the U.S. Although flights were still leaving Havana for Miami, we knew it was only a matter of time before they were stopped, as all the professionals, doctors, lawyers, professors, accountants and businessmen were leaving and creating a “brain drain.” At the time Castro knew that this helped remove those who might pose a threat to him,” he said.
Painting by Jossie Azorin 10
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After several months, the Azorin brothers were able to find work at a brick factory in Harlem, Georgia where their years of experience producing bricks and clay pipe in Cuba were an asset. The self-made Azorin brothers, realizing they would not be able to return to Cuba and reclaim their property, determined that with a couple years of hard work and ruthless saving, they could manage to leave Harlem’s cold weather behind and move to the warmer climes of Florida, similar to the temperatures of Cuba. Plant City, close to Tampa’s large Spanish-speaking population, was chosen as a central location to build a brick factory. So with a few investors and lots of hope, in 1963 Plant City Brick & Clay was begun at an industrial park site on Turkey Creek Road. With their small amount of start-up capital, the first seven years were a real struggle with the brothers taking day and night shifts to complete all the intensive manual labor required. But by 1970 Windon Newton painting they realized they had to take a major risk to modernize their facility so the brothers and their families invested everything they At that time, telephone lines were monitored and if you were had in order to acquire enough collateral for a small business fortunate enough to get out you could not take any savings loan. because government officials checked every piece of luggage and requisitioned any money and valuables. That investment has paid off many times over as they were able to lower costs and increase production, as well as, introduce a “Since my father’s visa had expired, he had to stay in Cuba. new half inch wire cutting device enabling them to create brick At first, my mother didn’t want to leave her husband behind, but pavers they sold to major corporations such as McDonald’s and after discussing it she decided it would be best since she had Disney. heard of stories of Castro taking children from their parents and sending them to the Soviet Union for indoctrination. When Now the third generation of Azorin’s is at the helm of the family we finally arrived in Miami, we asked for and received political owned and operated $2.5 million business, Manuel Azorin is asylum.” director, Antonio Jr. “Tony” is the company president, Bill Dodson (recently recovered from open-heart surgery) is the sen“Looking back on these times, I can’t imagine how hard it must ior vice-president in charge of sales and marketing while also have been for our parents to have to leave Cuba at that point of holding the position of city commissioner, Silvia Dodson (nee their lives. They had worked hard to become successful and then, Azorin), a former strawberry queen, is also the company cuswhen they were at a point where they were enjoying life, everytomer service coordinator and serves on the board of directors of thing was taken from them. Although they were surely the United Food Bank of Plant City. depressed, my mother never let it show and always tried to make us children feel like we were on an adventure,” said Tony. Wife of Antonio Sr. and mother of the current Brick & Clay president, Maria Josefa de Quesada Azorin (known as Jossie) is a In the interim, Antonio Sr., with the help of friends, managed to greatly respected Florida artist who has been painting for 68 get a 30-day visa to Haiti and from there was able to meet the years, spending much of her time devoted to arts organizations. family in Miami. She painted some of the round bowls son Tony created for the second 2012 Plant City Empty Bowls lunch benefit for the United Manuel, Bill, Silvia, Tony & Doug Food Bank of Plant City. Jossie gathered groups of volunteers and artists at the Brick & Clay plant to finish glazing and firing-up the bowls. She is a firm believer in making what you do be of benefit to the community, through your workplace, use of your talents and abilities – all, should become a conduit for giving back. “Yes, there have been hard times and a lot of hard work for my grandfather, father and uncles but there has always been a lot of laughter and a family closeness that might not have been achieved without the need to overcome adversity…always strong, always together. Perseverance and determination does lead to success and the realization of the American dream,” says Tony as he looks back the family journey. •
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T
he year 2011 marked a milestone for the world’s human population. That year was the very first time ever more than 50 percent of the population of the world resided in urban areas as opposed to rural locations. And projections for the future suggest that figure will rise to 75 percent by the year 2050.
By Jim Frankowiak
Protecting the River and Tampa Bay
That urban growth has environmental implications as our cities expand and rural lands become urban areas. One is the development and expansion of residential communities with paved roads and homeowners committed to maintaining their residences, including their landscapes. Those nice lawns have replaced broad, natural pasture lands, wetlands and forests. “The nitrogen used to fertilize those lawns is believed to be one cause of pollution when used to an excess,” said University of Florida doctoral student Mary Lusk, who is engaged in a Nitrogen Fate and Transport Study along the Alafia River. “Nitrogen is an essential plant nutrient, and plants can’t thrive without it, but too much nitrogen –nitrogen not used by plants or turfgrass – can quickly make its way to water bodies like the Alafia River or Tampa Bay, where it can become a pollutant that causes eutrophication, algal blooms and fish kills." The year 2006 was a significant year for severe Red Tide algal blooms along Florida’s Gulf coast, she noted, and the event promoted significant response among citizens and policymakers alike. When the beaches became obviously degraded by the algae, people began a call to action to find out how we can prevent future episodes of severe algal blooms like those seen in 2006. The flurry of political activity that took place resulted in a number of restrictions on how homeowners can use nitrogen-bearing fertilizers. The most comprehensive of these is a “blackout,” or ban on the sale and use of lawn fertilizers during the rainy season in some areas – with the premise that rainy season storms drive excess nitrogen from lawns to nearby water bodies. Fertilizer used to feed residential lawns, however, is only one of several sources of nitrogen that enters the environment. “The others include decaying leaf and grass litter, lawn soils, leaky sewage lines, animal manures, pet waste, atmospheric dust and even rainfall,” said Lusk, who in addition to pursuing her doctorate teaches a UF course titled, Urban Soil and Water Systems, with Dr. Gurpal S. Toor, Associate Professor of Environmental Soil Chemistry & Water Quality and State Extension Specialist. Both Lusk and Dr. Toor are based at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, Wimauma, FL. “In an urban environment, natural soils are replaced with impervious surfaces like sidewalks, roofs and streets. When all of those nitrogen-bearing materials sit on impervious surfaces, they can leach nitrogen into the rainwater that flows over them, which then just flows onward to a river or bay because it doesn’t get a chance to soak into the soil. Even a task as simple as blowing freshly mowed lawn cuttings back onto the lawn as opposed to into the street can have a favorable impact on lessening the release of unused nitrogen,” said Lusk. “There has been much discussion about the impact of nitrogen on various water bodies within and adjacent to Florida,” noted Lusk. “Florida has a strong history of protecting water quality, but our understanding of nitrogen dynamics in urban environments is still limited. Our study along the Alafia River in Hillsborough County will help us get a better picture of how urbanization affects nitrogen levels in the local environment,
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Melissa Farncavilla
Mary Lusk
including the river and ultimately Tampa Bay. This ‘whole picture’ information will be crucial in helping community leaders make informed decisions about how we can reduce nitrogen transport and keep away problems like algal blooms and fish kills.” The study has two parts, one that looks at nitrogen in an urban residential community and one that looks at nitrogen in different segments of the Alafia River. For the residential study, a solar-powered autosampler is being used. This device is rainfall-triggered to collect stormwater leaving the community’s streets every time it rains. Samples are collected in real time during the rain event and then retrieved by Lusk the next day. The autosampler is installed adjacent to a stormwater pond typically constructed within residential communities to collect excess rainwater for gradual release into the adjacent streams and rivers. According to Lusk stormwater ponds do a good job at preventing flooding in urban areas, but they can only remove about 30 percent of the nitrogen that comes into them, leaving the other 70 percent to make its way on to the Alafia River. “In the second part of the study, we are sampling weekly at 11 sites along the Alafia River from its headwaters just inside Polk County into Hillsborough County to Riverview,” said Lusk, who is analyzing weekly samples for total nitrogen. The sites are both rural and urban and will enable Lusk to determine if urbanization is causing environmental changes and, if so, how much. She is being assisted with field and laboratory work by Melissa Francavilla, a UF undergrad student at the University’s Plant City campus where she is majoring in Agricultural Education. The study, which is being partly funded by the UF Center for Landscape Conservation & Ecology, began in April and will conclude in October, essentially covering the period before, during and immediately after the traditional rainy season. “We anticipate the results of our study being available toward the end of this year or the first quarter of 2014,” said Lusk. The study findings, including suggested initiatives that could be taken to reduce nitrogen transport to the Alafia River, will be shared with the community through a variety of outreach activities initiated by Lusk and her colleagues, including those subject matter experts associated with Hillsborough County Extension. For additional information about the study, its findings and/or actions you may take to help address the proper use of fertilizer for your lawn, contact Lusk via email at mary.lusk@ufl.edu or you can check out a blog of her adventures in the lab and field at AlafiaGator.com. • W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M
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Taking Over the World with Ice Cream By Libby Hopkins
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hicken and Waffles, Porky’s Delight, and Pump up the Yam. As you read those words, what are you thinking? Are you thinking they are the dinner special at some Southern cuisine themed restaurant? Would you believe me if I told you they were actually the names of ice cream flavors? Well, they are and as crazy as they may sound, they are amazing to taste. I’m speaking from experience mind you, because I’ve tasted the Chicken and Waffles and Porky’s Delight. I was a bit hesitant to try them at first but once I did, I was hooked! These crazy flavors and more can be found at Revolution Ice Cream in Brandon. If you weren’t looking for the ice cream shop, you would miss it because it’s tucked away in a corner of small strip mall behind the Swank Hair Lounge and Nail Bar on Brandon Blvd. The ice cream shop is becoming the “it place” for the residents of Brandon. Bill and Leslee Workman are the owners of Revolution Ice Cream and they love that the Brandon community is hooked on their ice cream. “I could have opened this shop in say South Tampa or Seminole Heights, but I live in Brandon and I think it’s a cool place to live,” Bill Workman said. “I think Brandon needs a cool place to hang out.” Revolution Ice Cream is a very cool place to hang out and eat ice cream. From the outside, it’s not much, but once you step inside, you enter a hipster’s paradise. There is an eclectic mix of art and furniture. Think art museum inside a Starbucks only the coffee is replaced with ice cream and you can buy the art off the walls. On one side of the shop hangs art from his wife, Leslee’s family. On the other side is art from local artists. Workman does not take any money from the sale of the art pieces that hang on his walls, he’s too busy selling his amazing ice cream. “Everything we do is W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M
designed to be fun and interesting as well as comfortable,” Workman said. “We love color and we’ve always been into art, so this place (the shop) reminds me of home, which is a good thing because I basically have to live here now, so it should be comfortable for me at least.” He didn’t want his ice cream shop to look or feel like some ice cream chain restaurant with bright fluorescent lights and plastic chairs. “I wanted to take away the fast food feeling of them wanting you to get in and get out,” Workman said. People aren’t trying to get out of his shop, they are trying to get in. When the Workman’s opened their shop back in April of this year, they had over 700 people lined up to try the different flavors of ice cream. The shop has seen a steady flow of customers since then. So where does Workman come up with the crazy flavors like Porky’s Delight or Curry Sky (which is my personal favorite)? “I guess it’s just a peek at the craziness inside my mind,” Workman said. “I have a real knack for thinking of what would be a great ice cream flavor and I just figure out how to make it.” He started making these crazy flavors of ice cream after he and Leslee traveled to Pittsburg to visit his brother. The couple visited an ice cream shop that was very different from a normal ice cream shop and Workman told his wife that he wished they had a place like it back home in Brandon. When he came home from the trip, he started making ice cream in their kitchen with a Cuisinart and giving it to his friends and coworkers. “I was making up to 250 pints of ice cream a month for friends at my house,” Workman said. “That had to be a business, I figured.” It was a business and ice cream
became his only business after losing his job because of cut backs. The couple uses all local ingredients in their ice cream. “We went to local you-pick farms to pick blueberries and strawberries to use in our ice cream,” Workman said. “We picked over 60 pounds of blueberries during blueberry season.” They get their meat products from Rick’s Meats in Lithia, as well. “We always like to support other local businesses and the best way to do that is to buy from them,” Workman said. The couple also wants to give back to their community and beyond. In October, they are planning on hosting a food truck rally and food drive in the parking lot in front of their shop. “We will have food, games, and a bouncy house for the kids,” Workman said. “We will have some kind of special where you bring a canned food item and you’ll get a scoop of ice cream.” The canned food will then be donated to local food pantries in the Brandon area. They also plan on taking over the world with their ice cream. They would like to build up their business to the point where they can take their business on the road across the United States and even to third world countries. “The shop would be the hub of community development and we will do whatever the community needs done, such as digging a well or building houses,” Workman said. “Our mission is to positively affect our community and the world through ice cream.” For more information on Revolution Ice Cream shop, you can visit their website at www.revicecream.com. The shop is located at 220 Brandon Blvd. The store is open Monday-Saturday 12 p.m - 10 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m. - 9 p.m.
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Mackerel & Bluefish... by Captain Woody Gore Hard Fighting – Drag Screaming Fast Action - Plenty of Fun… if you’re looking for something different this summer, try one of these “Bad Boys” on for size! A couple of saltwater fish found throughout Florida and providing some awesome light tackle angling thrills are none other than the unwavering Spanish mackerel and always hungry bluefish. These toothy Florida fish weigh in somewhere around two to four pounds and any over that are a real treats. A schooling fish with relatively large heads, powerful jaws and a mouth full of incredibly sharp teeth, their tapered bodies end with deep forked tails making them powerful swimmers and equally matched fighters for any light tackle. The blues are decorated with blue/green backs, silvery sides, and white/silver bellies, but don’t sell them short, these beautiful fish have plenty of muscle, speed and aerial antics. Spanish mackerel and blues, especially when first hooked, are exquisite looking fish as they race by the boat. Rigging for blues and mackerel is much like rigging for any toothy fish. Some folks use #4 or #6 wire leaders, I use 60# Seaguar Fluorocarbon Leader with long shank hooks. When fishing live baits use a short piece (approximately 24 inches) of 60# Seaguar tied to your braid and a bright long-shank 2/0 Daiichi hook. I belly hook the greenback at the pectoral fin, cast it out and the fish take care of the rest. Tip: when you feel the first strike, pause before setting the hook; it’s best to give the 18
fish a second or two waiting for them to load the rod. When the rod bends, then it’s time to start reeling. Fish can often be caught on any fast-moving lure resembling a baitfish, including metal spoons, jigs, and tube baits. If you like artificial lures try a shiny spoon or old topwater lure tied to your braid with a dark wire leader. Make sure it’s an old lure because you might not get it back. You might also try trolling on these hot, humid, no wind days. Once you hook-up, stop and start fan casting the area. The fish are there you just need to find them. It’s not uncommon to find schooling mackerel and bluefish sharing the same bait schools as ladyfish and jacks. When using whitebait/greenbacks start by tossing a few overboard in the area you are fishing. If the fish are present it doesn’t take long to get them going. Keep the live chums going and the fish will usually stay within casting distance. If you like fishy tasting fish, bluefish and mackerel are good table fare. I always bleed them immediately and put them in a slushy ice and water mixture. Fillet the fish, remove the bones and skin, cut into two inch strips, and deep fry. Serve with grits and tomato gravy and hush-puppies. Another excellent way to prepare mackerel is by smoking the fillets, using only garlic salt for seasoning. Enjoyable right off the smoker or they can be used later for a smoked fish spread. For other recipes, visit my website – www.captainwoodygore.com.
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SEPT EMB ER FISHING REPORT SNOOK - Season opens and as usual the action should be excellent. You’ll find plenty of big fish around bridges and passes, especially at night with free-lined baits like pinfish, greenbacks and jumbo shrimp. Fishing the flats around broken bottom potholes and mangroves will be good. For some exhilarating experiences try tossing a good walk-the-dog topwater lure. MirrOlure and High Roller are excellent choices. If you’re not into artificial lures, greenbacks always do the trick. However, this usually requires some experience throwing a net and a good circulating live well. T ROU T - Fishing is always productive around lush grass flats. It takes moving water to get them eating but when they start its fish-on. Popping corks with artificial plastic tails or live shrimp will produce. If you’re watching a cork and it’s bobbing up and down that is usually a pinfish eating your bait. Trout snatch it under and keep it down. REDFISH - Action will be steady with schooling fish moving around the area. Approach schooling fish carefully, you don’t want to split them into several groups because it’s often difficult to group them back up. Always pole or slow troll to within casting distance, Power-Pole down and present a low profile by getting off the bow. Try to pick off fish at the outer edges and never cast into the middle of the school. Reds eat shrimp, greenbacks, and pinfish. If they’re not looking for live bait cut bait on the bottom usually works, but you must be patient. W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M
SNAPPER - If you’re looking for some late summer fun, particularly for the youngsters, take them snapper fishing. Not only are these fish fun to catch but they are great eating. Small free-lined greenbacks or pieces of fresh shrimp around markers, bridges or rock piles will usually result in a limit of fish. If the tide is a little strong add enough split shot to keep the bait down three to six feet. Don’t forget a chum bag. Here’s a tip: Put them on ice immediately, this makes them much easier to clean. It gels the fat in their stomach, keeping it from sticking to your knife. MACKEREL & B LU EFISH - Tampa Bay is still loaded with plenty of threadfins and the mackerel and bluefish will be all over them. Mac’s and Blue’s are excellent targets this month. If you’re looking for awesome, light tackle action this is it. Threadfins are everywhere but look around marker cans, range markers or shallow reefs. Anchor up current, toss out a few baits for chum and throw to the striking 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 Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Tarpon Springs, Bradenton, and Sarasota areas for over fifty years; he offers world class fishing adventures and a lifetime of memories. Single or Multi-boat Group Charters are all the same. With years of organizational experience and access to the areas most experienced captains, 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 him a call at 813-477-3814.
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Specials! No Climb Horse Fence
100ʼ x 4ʼ CL1 No Climb Horse Wire...............................$99 100ʼ x 5ʼ CL 1 No Climb Horse Wire ............................$132 100ʼ x 6ʼ CL 1 No Climb Horse Wire ............................$169
Chain Link Gates – Round Corner
Chain Link Gates Round Corner 4ʼ wide x 6ʼ High Walk Gate ...........................................$29 42” wide x 5ʼ High Walk Gate ........................................$18 42” wide x 6ʼ High Walk Gate ........................................$29 10ʼ wide x 5ʼ High Drive Gate (2-5 wide gates) .............$49 10ʼ wide x 6ʼ High Drive Gates (2-5 wide gates) ...........$59
Honey
2lb fresh raw honey ....................................................$9.89 *While supplies last
SAVICH & LEE / STALNAKER 6902 Causeway Blvd Tampa, FL 813-620-3006
FOR SALE $4,600
Yamaha Ultramatic Kodiak 450 Auto 4×4 Itʼs a must see to appreciate. If youʼre looking for a 4 wheeler for this upcoming hunting season you wonʼt find a better deal than this very low hour, immaculately clean, in brand new condition Kodiak. Call to see; or I can email other photos. wgore@ix.netcom.com Capt. Woody Gore 813-477-3814 20
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In my opinion there are four stages of life. Stage one is when you believe in Santa Claus. Stage two, you don’t believe in Santa Claus. Stage three you are Santa Claus, and stage four you look like Santa Claus. Growing old is mandatory, growing up is not. I will bypass health food because I need all the preservatives I can get. While I am not a young rooster anymore, I am not at the age where you get the same sensation from a rocking chair that you get from a roller coaster. When I get to that senior age I hope I have figured out something I can do when I fall down and can’t get up. Before my brother-in-law passed away he told me a story of a man that became his own grandpa. They even wrote a song about it. Remember, “I’m My Own Grandpa?” The story goes that a man of age 21 got married to a widow who was as pretty as could be. This widow had a grown-up daughter, who had red hair. His father fell in love with the red head, and soon they got married. This made his dad his son-in-law. Now his wife, my daughter, was my mother. To complicate matters worse, I soon became the father of a bouncing baby boy. My little son then became, a brother-in-law to dad, which made him my uncle. Since he is my uncle that also made him brother to the widow’s grown-up daughter who was my stepmother. My father’s wife then had a son, and he became my grandson because he was my daughter’s son. This made my wife my mother’s mother, because although she is my wife, she is also my grandmother, too. If my wife is my grandmother, then I am her grandchild. This being the case as the husband of my grandmother, I am my own grandpa.
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hey tell me that everybody on Medicare and medicine is in for a rude awakening when Obamacare comes full swing into effect. I understand that it will cost over $300.00 a day to live in a nursing home. Well, no nursing home for me. I talked with Charles Harris at the Holiday Inn Express in Plant City, and he will let me have a room with a senior discount for around $89.00 a night on a long term basis. That leaves $211.00. Charles serves a great breakfast, and it’s free. I can eat lunch at Fred’s Market Restaurant for around $14.00 including a healthy tip. The South Florida Baptist Hospital has a pretty good dinner for around $8.00, including dessert. Charles’ Holiday Inn Express offers laundry, free shampoo, soap and cable TV. If a light bulb needs changing or a mattress replaced, no problem. Charles will have his staff there to fix everything, and apologize for the inconvenience. There’s daily room service, too. The maid will check on me to see if I am okay on a regular basis. If I am not, they will call the undertaker or an ambulance. Plus, they provide a swimming pool and other amenities. The grandkids can use the pool. What more can you ask for? They will treat me like a customer, not a patient and I’ll still have around $189.00 left over every day that the nursing home will not get. This will make my family happy! I will have plenty of spending money for clothes, a new car, and Christmas gifts for all the family. It takes months to get into a decent nursing home. The Holiday Inn Express will take my reservation immediately.
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Then there’s the story of an 80-year old widow that wrote her first love a letter. She said, “Dear Rufus, my husband, of some 60 years passed away last month and I thought I would write to see how you are doing in your golden years. As for me a few changes have come into my life since I last saw you. I am seeing five gentlemen every day. As soon as I wake up each morning, Will Power helps me get out of bed. Then I go see John. After that Charlie Horse comes along, and when he is here, he takes a lot of my time and attention. When Charlie Horse leaves, Arthur Ritus shows up and stays the rest of the day. He never stays in one place very long, so he takes me from joint to joint. After such a busy day, I’m really tired and glad to go to bed with Ben Gay.
P.S. The preacher came to call on me the other day. He said at my age I should be thinking about the hereafter. I told him, “I do all the time. No matter where I am, in the kitchen, on the porch, upstairs, or down in the basement, I ask my self, ‘what am I here after?” In closing Tony Lee, my Lions Club friend, and a Plant City insurance agent, tells the story of an insurance claim he had difficulty filing. As best the police report could determine, it seems two close friends decided to attend a concert just outside their town in north Florida. Having no tickets and 14 beers between them they thought it would be easy to hop over the nine-foot fence and sneak into the show. It was dark and they really did not know the territory. They pulled their pickup truck up to the fence, and the heavier man would hop the fence and then help his friend over. W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M
Unfortunately for the first man over, there was a 30-foot drop on the other side of the fence. Having heaved over, he found himself with his arm broken, dangling from a large branch on a tree by his shorts. They figured he looked down and saw some bushes below that he assumed would break his fall. He removed his pocketknife and proceeded to cut away his shorts to free himself from the tree. Finally free, he crashed into the holly bushes below. The sharp leaves scratched his entire body and without protection of his shorts a holly branch penetrated his rectum. To make matters worse, on landing his pocketknife penetrated his thigh. The other man, on seeing his friend in considerable pain and agony decided to throw him a rope and pull him to safety by tying the rope to the pick-up and slowly driving away. However, in his drunken state, he put the truck into reverse and crashed through the fence landing on his friend and killing him. According to the police report, when they arrived on the scene they found the crashed pick-up with its driver thrown over 100-feet from the truck. He was dead at the scene from massive internal injuries. They moved the truck and found the fat man under it, half-naked with scratches all over his body, a holly stick in rear, a knife in his thigh, and his shorts dangling from a tree branch 25-feet in the air.
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Nominations Sought For The
Nominations are now being sought for potential inductees to The Florida Citrus Hall of Fame, with induction ceremonies scheduled to take place on Friday, March 7, 2014 at Florida Southern College in Lakeland. The luncheon is co-sponsored by Florida Citrus Mutual and the Florida Department of Citrus. Eligible nominees for the Hall of Fame are those distinguished leaders who have made significant contributions to the Florida citrus industry in any of the following fields: pioneers, harvesting, packing, processing, marketing, scientific and/or educational areas. Last year’s inductees were Homer E. Hooks, of Lakeland, and J. Brantley Schirard, of Ft. Pierce, along with three others who were inducted posthumously: Col. Francis L. Dancy, Dr. Paul L. Harding and Dr. Mathew K. Veldhuis. The deadline for nominations is November 1, 2013 and all nominations should include a summary of the nominee’s accomplishments, letters of support from industry members and a photo. Any nominations received after this date will be considered for the following year. Nomination forms are available by contacting Brenda Eubanks Burnette at (561) 351-4314 or by visiting the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame web site at www.FloridaCitrusHallofFame.com. Completed applications must include a photo and should be emailed to BBurne1003@aol.com. Hard copies should be sent to Florida Citrus Hall of Fame, 411 East Orange Street, Lakeland, FL 33801. For more information, please contact either John Jackson at jackson71344@yahoo.com or Brenda Eubanks Burnette at (561) 351-4314 or BBurne1003@aol.com.
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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Donkeys kill more people annually than plane crashes. You burn more calories sleeping than you do watching television. The first product to have a bar code was Wrigleyʼs gum. The King of Hearts is the only king without a mustache. A Boeing 747s wingspan is longer than the Wright brotherʼs first flight. Venus is the only planet that rotates clockwise. The first CD pressed in the US was Bruce Springsteenʼs “Born in the USA” Apples, not caffeine, are more efficient at waking you up in the morning. The ʻ57ʼ on the Heinz ketchup bottle represents the number of varieties of pickles the company once had. The plastic things on the end of shoelaces are called ʻaglets.ʼ Most dust particles in your house are made from dead skin. The sound of E.T. walking in the film was made by someone squishing her hands in jelly. Pearls melt in vinegar. It takes 3,000 cows to supply the NFL with enough leather for a yearʼs supply of footballs. The three most valuable brand names on earth: Marlboro, Coca Cola, and Budweiser, in that order. Average life span of a major league baseball: seven pitches. A duckʼs quack doesnʼt echo and no one knows why. The most played song on American radio during the twentieth century was “You've Lost That Loving Feeling.”
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Fri. & Sat. September 20 & 21 • 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Fri. & Sat. October 18 & 19 • 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
*** All Items Are 8 lbs. Unless Otherwise Noted.***
VEGETABLES Foodhooks........................$22 Baby Butter Beans ...........$15 Green Beans......................$14 Pole Beans ........................$14 Speckled Butter Beans ...$14 Blackeye Peas...................$14 Butter Peas .......................$14 Crowder Peas ...................$14 Pinkeye Peas.....................$14 Sugar Snap Peas ..............$15 Zipper Peas.......................$14 Green Peas ........................$14 White Corn........................$14 Yellow Corn.......................$14 Cream White Corn 4# ......$6 Cream Yellow Corn 4#......$6 Collard Greens..................$13 Mustard Greens ................$13 Turnip Greens ...................$13 Spinach ..............................$13 Cut Okra ............................$13 Breaded Okra....................$13 Whole Okra .......................$13 Sliced Yellow Squash.......$13 Sliced Zucchini .................$13 Brussel Sprouts ................$14
Baby Carrots.....................$14 Broccoli .............................$14 Cauliflower........................$14 Mixed Vegetables ............$14 Soup Blend .......................$14
FRUITS Blueberries 5# ..................$15 Blackberries 5# ................$15 Raspberries 5# .................$15 Dark Sweet Cherries 5# ..$18 Mango Chunks 5# ............$15 Pineapple Chunks 5#.......$15 Whole Strawberries 5# ...$15 Peaches..............................$15 Rhubarb #5 .......................$15
GREEN PEANUTS 8 lbs....$15 GEORGIA PECANS (Frozen) Halves and Pieces 1 lb bag................................$9 2.5 lb bag ....................$22.25 5 lb bag ............................$44 10 lb bag ...........................$87
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Dry Creek
Tony Sen z a m i c i
I have found that a lot of folks want Family Friendly programs back on TV. It seems Hollywood forgot about this large niche of Americans, for those that watched shows like Little House and The Walton’s were left with only reruns. The baby boomer folks are the highest demographic of the television audience and they were left to fend for themselves. With the onset of Reality TV where the industry could save money because they are cheap to produce, Hollywood has run the gamut, everything from the Housewife’s of this city and that city, to Here Comes Honey Boo Boo. The pendulum is swinging back and that's where Dry Creek sets.
Dry Creek Update By Les McDowell Photos by Linda Constant
C a s t i l e L a n don
Thanks to everyone who is following Dry Creek, America's First Frontier and thank you for the support. Go to DryCreekTV.com to learn more. Tune us in on Bright House TV. You can also go to BlueHighwaysTV.com and watch some clips of Dry Creek. Everybody knows where Dry Creek is....... “cause it's inside each and every one of us.” •
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thought I'd give everybody an update on what is happening at Dry Creek. Some exciting things are unfolding before our eyes. The great news is that we are now on Bright House. That amounts to another 1.5 million homes that can now watch Dry Creek. You can watch Dry Creek on channels 195, and 1316 HD. Dry Creek is on BlueHighways TV Saturday night at 7:30 Eastern Time, then reruns at 10:30. We have started filming our second season of shows. The episode we are working on now is called, “My Little Town.” This episode will give everyone a glance at what happened the first season on Dry Creek. It will also introduce some new members of the Dry Creek family. We are so proud of some of our new cast members. Tony Senzamici, who you've seen on Army Wives, The Glades and several other television shows and motion pictures, is joining the Dry Creek cast. Also Castile Landon, who just finished the film Sex Ed and was also featured in Workers Comp, is a very talented actress and she will play Abby on Dry Creek. Abby is a young women who wants more out of 1882 Florida than cooking and cleaning. Abby and her horse Drum will also be featured in a 90 minute TV Movie of Dry Creek called “Flying Horses” that will begin shooting in early fall. We can't wait to show the rest of America the beauty of Florida and tell some of the stories of the Cow Hunters, the Seminoles and give people a glance at early Florida life. During the second season we want to paint a picture that is almost storybook. Storybook in the way the Spanish moss hangs from the trees, the white birds, oak hammocks and bay heads, that is the perfect backdrop for a family series. We also want to share the hardships and the unbroken spirit of the men and women of early Florida.
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An Over Night Success
By Libby Hopkins
K
athie Pagliaro and her husband, Stephen, lead very busy lives. They have two children, Grace who is seven-yearsold and Jackson who is 18 months-old. Kathie is a first grade teacher at Lincoln Elementary in Plant City and Stephen is an accountant. She has been teaching for 11 years. She never thought in a million years that she would be balancing her family, teaching and running a business. What is her business you ask? It’s Dot’s Sunbeam Laundry Cream. “I’m a school teacher and I love phonetics, so I thought oh this rhymes and it’s cute, so that’s how we got the name,” Kathie said. There is much more to company’s name and business. This past May, a friend of Kathie’s had been making her own homemade laundry cream and suggested she should try making it as well. At first, Kathie thought with her busy life and schedule, when would she find the time to make homemade laundry cream? She didn’t have anything planned for the Memorial Day weekend so she thought she would give it a try. She dug out her grandmother Dot’s old Sunbeam mixer that she had inherited when Dot, or “Memaw Dot,” as the family called her, passed away. Memaw and her mixer had a part in naming the business, too. She whipped up a batch of the cream and posted a picture of it to her Facebook account. “The comment I wrote said, ‘Look at me being Susie Homemaker making my own laundry detergent’ and I had a girlfriend of mine comment that if I had extra she would buy it from me. I thought that was silly and I told her I would just give it to her.” Stephen Pagliaro is very business minded and he saw that his wife’s new creation could be a great home business for their family. “I told him he was crazy and that no one is going to W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M
buy homemade laundry soap when they can go to the grocery store and buy their own,” Kathie said. What she didn’t realize was, after she had posted the photo of her laundry cream her whole life would be changing. A local business saw the picture she posted on Facebook and contacted her about carrying the product in their store. She didn’t realize the power of social media. “I was like this is nuts,” Kathie said. “Within 24 hours businesses were asking us if they could put our product in their stores.” Stephen got to work on getting them a business license, a bank account and a website. Dot’s Sunbeam Laundry Cream was open for business and the company’s business meetings were being held at the dining room table and production took place in their kitchen. The laundry cream is a smooth, concentrated cream that is safe for all types of washers, including HE and front loading units as well. One table spoon of the cream will do the job of an entire cup of the leading laundry detergent brands. It’s made with washing soda, Borax and Fels-Naptha, which is bar laundry soap. After grating the bar into soap, she cooks it to concentrate it. Then, the mixture sits for six hours before being mixed again. The final product is a thick creamy substance. The laundry cream comes in two sizes, a 32 ounce jar that yields approximately 64 loads and a 16 ounce jar that yields approximately 32 loads. The cream is sold in Mason jars with a business card attached that says, “Dot’s Sunbeam Laundry Cream 1 John 1:7. This is the Bible verse that says, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” Kathie put this verse on her business card because she feels that God was with her and
Stephen every step of the way in their new business venture. “We really phased this whole process in prayer and with all the success we are having, we just feel that this has been a gift from the Lord,” Kathie said. She is currently working on a fragrance-free laundry cream. Dot’s Sunbeam Laundry Cream made its first public debut as a business at the 15th Annual Sonshine Opry Gospel Music Festival on Sept. 14. The festival was held at the Plant City Strawberry Festival Grounds. You can find Pagliaro’s laundry cream at The Corner Store, Mimi’s Place and Southside Farm and Pet Supply, all located in Plant City. Southern Posh in Fort Meade also carry Dot’s Sunbeam Laundry cream. If you don’t live near any of these stores, you can also order the laundry cream from Pagliaro’s website, www.dotssunbeamlaundrycream.com. A 32 ounce jar costs $10 and a 16 ounce jar cost $6 plus tax and shipping and handling.
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By Sandy Kaster, M.S. Clinical Medicine, B.S. Nutrition Science
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weet, creamy sugar apples are now in season in Florida, the only state in the United States to produce this tropical fruit. Also known as sweetsop, custard apple, anon, or anonna, sugar apples are widely grown in South America, southern Mexico, the West Indies, Bahamas and Bermuda. Very creamy and sweet, with a light yellow flesh, the sugar apple is often described as custard-like with hints of pear and coconut. Sugar apples have a sweet fragrance and their skin is knobby, resembling pinecones.
NUTRITIONAL PROFILE Sugar apples are not only delicious but also nutritious. Rich in fiber, vitamin C, and the B vitamins, a single fruit contains plenty of vitamins and minerals. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, one 3.5 ounce serving (100 g) of sweetsop contains 94 calories, 2.1 g of protein, 0.3 g of fat, 23.6 g of carbohydrate, and 4.4 g of fiber. It also provides 44 percent of the Daily Recommended Value (% DV) for Vitamin C, 20 percent for manganese, 18 percent for dietary fiber, 15 percent for vitamin B6, 10 percent for thiamin, 9 percent for riboflavin, 6 percent for niacin and magnesium, as well as phosphorus, iron, calcium, folate, and zinc. VITAMIN C Florida sugar apples are a good source of vitamin C, an antioxidant, which has many important functions in the body. Eating foods high in vitamin C significantly raises the amount of iron your body absorbs, which is a good way to prevent anemia. Vitamin C also supports the body’s immune system in its ability to fight infections and viruses, and may possibly shorten the duration and intensity of a cold. Additionally, this vitamin is involved in keeping capillaries, gums, and skin healthy and supple. One serving of sweetsop meets almost half of your daily requirements for this important vitamin.
MANGANESE This mineral has many varied functions in the body. Manganese facilitates protein and carbohydrate metabolism from the foods we eat, as well as activates the enzymes necessary for the body to use nutrients including vitamin C, thiamin, and choline. Additionally, manganese activates the enzymes involved in bone formation.
INCREASE YOUR METABOLISM Eating hot peppers can increase calorie burn for several hours after eating them. The heat you may feel after eating hot peppers and W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M
• Blend the flesh with milk for a fruit shake
other spicy foods is a rise in body temperature as your body digests them. This increased heat production increases your calorie expenditure.
• Use the flesh for sweetsop ice cream
HOW TO SELECT AND STORE
• Chop and add to cereal or yogurt
Choose sugar apples that are slightly firm but yield to gentle pressure. Look for color changes on the fruit rind between the knobs as a sign of ripeness. For green sugar apples, look for a yellow color between the segments, and for red sugar apples, look for a bright pink color between segments. Select sugar apples that are free of bruises or broken skin. They can be stored at room temperature to ripen, or ripe fruit can be refrigerated for up to several days.
• Slice and add to fruit salad or platter
Enjoy delicious, nutritious sugar apple during Florida’s peak season today. Selected References http:/ / edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ http:/ / www.hort.purdue.edu/ newcrop/ m orton/ sugar_apple.html
HOW TO ENJOY Fresh sugar apples are sweet and creamy and delicious eaten out-of-hand. When ready to eat, rinse the sugar apple under water, then crack open and pull apart. The fruit will come apart in segments that you can pull out from the outer shell. Enjoy the flesh and discard the seeds. Other ways to enjoy this tropical fruit are: INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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The Cutting Edge
Optimizing Yields While Preserving Natural Resources By Jim Frankowiak
As
the world’s population increases from its current estimated seven billion to 11 billion by midcentury the challenge for farmers worldwide to feed this increasing global population becomes more and more onerous. At the same time lands used to produce crops are diminishing as rural areas give way to urbanization, adding dimension to agriculture’s deepening responsibility. However, efforts are taking place worldwide to meet the demand for increased yields while protecting the precious and decreasing acreage used for farming and the overall environment. One approach to meet this multi-fold challenge is precision agriculture, which is also known as satellite farming or site specific crop management. This is a farming management concept based on observing, measuring and responding to inter and intra-field variability in crops. Crop variability typically has both a spatial and temporal component, which makes statistical/computational treatments involved. The ultimate goal of the precision agriculture researcher is the ability to define a system for whole farm management that optimizes returns while preserving resources. The advent of global positioning systems (GPS) and global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) has enabled the practice of precision agriculture. The farmer’s and/or W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M
researcher’s ability to locate their precise position in a field allows for the creation of maps of the spatial variability of as many variables as can be measured, such as crop yield, terrain features/topography, organic matter content, moisture levels, nitrogen levels and more. Additionally, these maps can be interpolated onto a common grid for comparison. Spatial and temporal variability of crop variables are at the heart of precision agriculture, while the spatial and temporal behaviors of that variability are key to defining amendment strategies for farm use. Precision agriculture has also been aided by technologies like crop yield monitors mounted on GPS-equipped combines, the development of variable rate technology like seeders, sprayers, etc., the development of an array of real-time vehicle mountable sensors that measure everything from chlorophyll levels to plant water status, multi- and hyper-spectral aerial and satellite imagery from which amendment strategies or “recipes” for farm use can be created. The Geomatics team based at the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) Plant City Center has developed the Vegetation Mobile Mapping System (VMMS), a low cost, mobile hyperspectral system especially designed for precision agriculture applications, “but is versatile for other applications such as water quality monitoring,”
said Dr. Amr Abd-Elrahman, Associate Professor of Geomatics. Geomatics includes the tools and techniques used in land surveying, remote sensing, cartography, geographic information systems global navigation satellite systems, photogrammetry, geography and related forms of earth mapping. Abd-Elrahman is being assisted with system development by his post-doctoral colleague Roshan Pandechhetri. The team has collaborated with Plant Pathologist Dr. Gary Vallad at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center for field tests involving tomato. Dr. Vallad focuses on the diagnosis and management of diseases common to vegetable and ornamental production in this area of Florida. “We are fortunate for the various crops and facilities we have in this area, especially at the Gulf Coast Research Center at Balm, that we can access for our system development activities,” said Abd-Elrahman. “In this ground-based imaging system, hyperspectral sensor was chosen due to its capability of providing hundreds of visible and infrared imagery in arrow slices across this range of the spectrum. This type of imagery captures continuous signature of reflected light spectrum at each pixel,” he said. “This facilitates many types of analysis, including assessing plant stress, detection of invasive species, agricultural crop classification and yield estimation,
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soil properties assessment and estimation of water quality parameters.” Available similar ground-based systems are mostly stationary and used in sampling experiments, hindering wide scale application. “Our system is relatively low cost and can be mounted in a ground-based mobile platform such as a tractor or other agricultural device. It is integrated with GPS and inertial navigation sensors to provide image location and orientation.” VMMS was designed using off-the-shelf imaging and synchronization sensors and navigation sensors in a modular interoperable design with the aim of creating a versatile, low cost mobile hyperspectral sensor system. “For the precision agriculture applications, our system is designed for vertical view setup in which sensors and navigation components are mounted on the edge of a crane and carried by a truck or tractors,” said Abd-Elrahman.
The Geomatics team has conducted various experiments over the last several years, including one at the GCREC where images of tomato plants were captured to assess bacterial disease effect. “Hyperspectral imagery enables us to analyze not only change in visible colors of the plants, but also the changes using the infrared signature which is invisible to our eyes,” he said. Images were captured three times during the growing season. Classification and change detection were performed to assess the growth and health of the plants. In another experiment, images of aquaculture ponds were analyzed to estimate the water quality parameters. “We are pleased with the results our system has achieved to date,” said Abd-Elrahman. “I anticipate several additional years of experimentation and refinement before we are at a position to consider commercialization options. Dr. Pande-chhetri and I look forward to the next steps we will be taking with the system.” •
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Business Up Front
GETTING THE DIRT
QUALITY LIQUID FEED (QLF)
P
erhaps the layperson is unfamiliar with the nuances and intricacies of the world of farming. Maybe even the seasoned agricultural veteran misunderstands the import of balanced soil nutrition. Certainly, most people are incapable of evaluating soil health. In fact, one of the funniest things that Jason Garcia, an agronomy specialist for QLF (Quality Liquid Feed), hears from the farmers that he works with is the fact that their soil is producing less than it did for their fathers and grandfathers. This is funny to him because he understands the necessity of balance when it comes to soil composition. In fact, he explains, “You’ve got to get away from historical treatments. When they see every year that their crops are declining, it comes down to the same thing, we’ve got to farm smarter nowadays. Like I tell them, do what you’ve always done and get what you’ve always been getting.”
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By Ginny Mink
Jason is a product of Plant City. He was actively involved in FFA and ultimately received a scholarship to study agriculture at the University of Florida. While in the FFA Jason spent a large portion of time participating in the plant science and soilbased competitions. He received his bachelor’s degree in agronomy and soil science from the University of Florida and chose to return to his hometown under the employ of QLF. QLF is a well-known and longstanding company focused on balanced nutrition in all forms. It got its start in 1977 working with animal nutrition and has steadily improved upon itself over the last 36 years. Those who have found their careers in this field and with this company are well educated and highly experienced in their realms of influence. We had the opportunity to discuss “the dirt” with Jason. He explained his job description by saying, “Basically I study these soil and tissue sam-
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ples that are pulled by fertilizer distributors and/or growers prior to planting, during crop production. I study the samples in order to build a nutrient program or a nutrient profile depicting to them what type of nutrient or fertilizer they need to apply, the proper placement of the fertilizer, the proper timing of the fertilizer. Whether we’re feeding the plants, or the animals, or we’re feeding ourselves, everything has to do with balance. I mainly deal with the agronomy side or the crop nutrition side.”
Why Dirt? Jason says, “Look at the strawberry production and agriculture in the state of Florida and unfortunately we’ve lost a lot of acres over the years. You know Plant City has been known as the winter strawberry capital of the world for as long as I’ve been alive.” He returns to the question at hand, “The love of dirt? When I do presentations, technology has changed so much over the years and one of the things that really hasn’t changed is plant nutrition. We are using products today that were being used back in the 1800s. Farmers are having to be smarter, look at their input costs. So the importance of the health of your soil has a direct impact on what your yields are going to be. When you talk about balanced nutrition there’s an old guideline that we look at in the agronomy world, or in the dirt world, it’s called Liebig’s Law of Minimum and that law in a nutshell basically just suggests that yield is proportionW W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M
soil than what we’re providing. For example, if a grower wants to have 3,000 flats per acre most of the time they are only putting nutrition in to get 2,100 to 2,200 and if they’re getting 2,700 flats at the end of the year, the plants had to get that nutrition from somewhere to make up the difference for the lack of nutrition that was there. Basically it’s pulling the nutrition from what’s available in the soil.”
So what do you do? He tells us, “Basically what we would do, honestly, is increase soil health. Look at the way soil works, everybody tends to think that we throw fertilizer down and that makes everything grow. That’s true to a point, but soil health is very important. Soil has a whole microbiology and nowadays you hear a lot of talk about biology and the soil. That biology, or what we call microbials, are responsible for allowing the fertilizer to work. Without a microbial population you can fertilize all that you will and you’re not going to get the response. So what our product does, in a sense, is it basically acts as a food source for microbials, while at the same time providing nutrition to the crops. The healthier that we can keep those microbials, the healthier things will be.” QLF is devoted to that healthy balance. Be sure to check them out at: www.qlf.com al to the amount of the most limiting nutrient that’s in your soil. So for example, if you have some micronutrients that are imbalanced or some of your macronutrients that are imbalanced, whatever that lowest level of nutrient is, that’s the best that you’re crop is going to perform.” The only way to know what levels are low is via testing.
How do you do this Testing? He explains, “One of the main ways is soil testing prior to bedding our grounds so we basically have a baseline. The soil test will show us what we need to do to balance our soil. There’s some math work that goes in with it, utilizing the periodic table. It basically starts months in advance to even planning on planting a crop whether it’s a strawberry crop or a blueberry crop, corn crops, cotton, whatever the crops may be, the soil test is the initial to tell us exactly what we need to do. We go through and we run a soil probe about six to eight inches down in the soil and we’ll take about ten of these samples depending upon the acreage, or what we like to call the block size. Generally we’ll take a minimum of ten per five acres. We take these samples and combine them all up and send them off to a lab where they do what’s called an extraction, and that will give us an idea of what nutrients are actually in that soil. Most fertilizer companies don’t have their own soil test lab, they contract it out.”
What’s the B iggest Problem in Plant City? Jason says, “The most common is a very imbalanced CEC (cation exchange capacity). That will give us an idea of what levels our cations are at. There is a range that we generally like to be around and basically what we see here in Plant City, and actually throughout the state of Florida, is we’re basically depleting the soil. We’re undermining our own soil and each year that we’re pulling these tests we’re seeing that these levels are dropping more and more because we are pulling more out of the
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By Ginny Mink
A
s an elementary student I can recall the white wood boxes that sat only five or six feet away from our swimming pool. I have visions of my father dressed in the white hazmat looking bee keeper’s costume. I use the word costume because my dad was only playing at beekeeping. That’s not to say that he didn’t use the smoker thing to put the bees to sleep, pull out the honeycomb and harvest honey, rather that phase of interest waned pretty rapidly as was frequently the case. I will admit to you that having a father whose interests were constantly changing enabled his three children to learn a little about a lot. Of the multitude, the plethora of endeavors I watched my father partake in, beekeeping was perhaps one of the most intriguing (although blowing glass always caught my attention, too) but I digress. I stumbled across Fisher Honey Bees via an ad on craigslist. In all truth I was looking at buying some glass jars for use in my upstart
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gift basket business. Imagine my surprise when I contacted the seller from the ad and discovered Judi Fisher, co-owner of Fisher Honey Bees. I love when things in my personal life work out to benefit my professional one. So I asked Judi if she’d be interested in doing an article in this most excellent magazine and here we are. Her husband and his dad had bees when they lived up in North Carolina and their land here is zoned agricultural so about seven years ago they got a couple of hives and the story begins. Judi says, “We had honey and we started giving out honey and then everybody’s like, ‘I want honey,’ and we started growing and growing from there. Now we have about 52 hives, it depends on if one dies, sometimes you can split the hives so you get a new one. In the beginning we got a couple of hives for ourselves, my husband wanted fresh honey. We just went out and started doing bee removal and we got more and more hives and we could produce more
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honey. We do not do that anymore, it’s a lot of manpower that we just don’t have right now. The name is from our last name, we are a Christian-based family and company, a lot of people think of the fisher of men from the Bible and that kind of thing, but no, it’s just our last name is Fisher. My husband was ordained in 2006, we just want to follow the Bible and what it says.” I was thrilled to hear of the company’s faith base, but we switched gears back to the products they carry. Judi expounded, “We have liquid honey, which of course is what most people are familiar with from 12 ounce bears to gallons. Different honeys bloom at different times, like orange blossoms bloom at the beginning of the year, February, March, to the end of April/May, that only blooms once a year so whatever honey you get from those orange blossom trees, that is it for the whole year. Then you have wildflower which you hopefully get four extractions in the year because the wildflower comes from any and all blooms throughout the year. Every season you have new things like saw palmetto, Brazilian pepper and things like that. Tupelo only comes from the white tupelo tree and that actually only grows in the Panhandle. That is actually specialty honey. We work with Fisher Farm and relatives that have more manpower, that are able to supply us with the tupelo honey. There’s the Fisher Bee Farm and we work with them. There’s the Brazilian pepper that everyone’s trying to W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M
kill and get rid of but they actually make a really good honey. It’s not as sweet as some of the others, a lot of people really like it, they like to bake with it because it is a really nice honey.” If you are even slightly familiar with honey the only thing that might have come as a surprise is the rarity of the tupelo tree. That said, Judi moved on to more interesting and lesser known products. She continued, “We have what’s called: cream honey. Sometimes honey may crystallize on you, in other words, it turns into a solid, so we take honey and force it to crystallize and make it into a spread; we don’t add anything to it. We do have some that we flavor. We have raspberry, blueberry, strawberry, of course that’s when we can get those different fruits in stock because we try to use fresh. We also have jalapeno, we go to the farmers market and buy real jalapenos, put them in the dehydrator and get them all nice and crunchy, then we put them in a coffee grinder and get them into a nice fine powder and add that into the honey as well. We have about six or seven different flavors in our cream honey from cocoa to the berries, to the sweet hot with the jalapeno. We’ve even done some wasabi, that’ll put some WOW in your
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mouth let me just tell you that now! We also have honey sticks which we are distributors for, we do not personally make them. It’s basically a plastic straw with honey in it, we have about 20 different flavors.” I recommend checking out their website so that you can see the plethora of honey stick flavors. I intend to put some in my soon-to-be-available gift baskets! While yummy honey is at the forefront of our thoughts, Judi is also a body care distributor. She discussed that as we concluded the interview. She explained, “We are also distributors for the Naked Bee products, they are out of Tennessee. They are a 70 percent organic product and they use honey in their products. It’s everything from your hair care down to your feet. We were on vacation in Georgia and my mother-in-law and I tried some and we were like, ‘wow, that’s some really good stuff!’ So once we got back in town and I kept using it, I told my husband, ‘hey I’d like to sell this stuff!’ So, he contacted them and with the products that we carry, with honey, we were able to get a seller’s agreement with them. They are awesome, I mean I can’t even say enough about them! Everybody that tries the product falls in love with it. The hand
and body lotion is amazing!” Treat your tummy and your skin, now that’ll put some WOW in your life. Don’t miss out on the Fisher Honey Bees site: www.fisherhoneybees.com. It definitely doesn’t get any sweeter than this! Oh yeah, check out the two ounce hex jars and the baby bears because the Fisher’s will gladly make you specialty labels for baby showers and wedding favors! Sweet!
j
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By Melissa Nichols
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hen many young girls were busy playing with Barbie dolls and playing dress up, Kenna Hunter spent her time learning the ins and outs of taking care of a horse, barrel racing, roping, and riding. Kenna just got back from competing in the NBHA Youth World Championship in Perry, GA, and her accomplishments are quite an inspiration. Kenna, along with about 2,000 other young riders, came from all over the world to compete in this event. At only 11 years old Kenna Hunter is an amazing rider and her relationship with her horse Bella, is much more than the average equine - rider relationship. Bella is also her best friend. Kenna was only 11 months old she was diagnosed with type-1 diabetes (juvenile diabetes.) This was a life altering event for not only Kenna and her parents, Kelly and Danielle Hunter, but her entire family. Instead of not having a care in the world this 11 year old carries a sugar monitor and she has learned to check her blood sugar every three hours. She has learned what she can do and shouldn’t do, yet she is determined to not let diabetes hold her back and so far she is proving she is unstoppable. Kenna started riding at the age of 4 and began barrel racing three and a half years ago. She is the current FL04 4D reigning champion and she worked very hard to get there. She has been trained by Megan WarrenSwint (M/W Barrel horses) and Michael and Colton Mathews. Kenna spends several hours per day practicing and conditioning with her horse. It is also important to her parents that she maintains her grades and excels in school. Kenna is in sixth grade at Turkey Creek Middle. Kenna has had multiple amazing accomplishments over the last three years. In 2012, at the age of 10, she was the “All-around Champion Cowgirl & Saddle Winner” from
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the Central FL Youth Rodeo Association. And at the NBHA Youth World Championship, she not only qualified to compete, which is an amazing feat in itself, she was also a finalist and placed fifth in 3D. Kenna says that what keeps her going is the love of the sport and the love of her horse. Research has found that horses are a great therapeutic treatment for people. Kenna proves this. Despite the risk factors associated with diabetes, such as injuries being more severe, and overall health being harder to maintain, Kenna keeps trying and is not going to stop. Kenna will not overcome her diabetes, as her pancreas just doesn’t function to par, but she will persevere. She is not only an inspiration to everyone who knows her and those who have type 1 diabetes, but also to those who have any underlying health problem that may keep them from living their dreams. One of the best parts about Kenna isn’t her ability to barrel race, nor her roping skills, it is her heart. She has a heartfelt gratitude to her parents, who have been there to help her through this entire process. Kenna also is grateful to the many people such as her sponsor, Ground Level Mr. Chris Connell and his wife Tina, M/W Barrel horses - Robert & Megan Swint, her farrier, Cody Lamberton and his fiancé Brittany, and all her family and friends that have given, donated and been there for her for the past three years to get her where she is today. As Kenna enters junior high this year she is truly looking forward to being a part of the Florida Junior High School Rodeo Association. She plans on saving the money she wins and putting it toward her college fund. Kenna has a strong faith in God instilled by her parents and her motto is Philippians 4:13 (NKJ Version) “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” •
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Specializing in Agricultural, Transitional and Commercial Land
20 ACRE EQUESTRIAN ESTATE WITH 4,448 GROSS SF OWNERS RESIDENCE, 15 STALL HORSE BARN, EQUIPMENT BARN AND 110 X 240 LIGHTED ARENA – LITHIA The home has been recently remodeled and features 4 bedrooms and 2 full baths plus one half-bath. The kitchen is open to the family room and has beautiful views of the farm. The home also includes a pool with large cabana. The center aisle barn features tack room, feed room, 2 wash racks and an air-conditioned office. The fully lit arena and paddocks complete this magnificent package. $825,000
40 ACRES • 4,352 GROSS SF MAIN HOME • 1,296 GROSS SF SECOND HOME • 12 STALL BARN LITHIA Incredible opportunity to own a turn-key horse farm located in Lithia near FishHawk. The property offers two homes, 50 x 100 horse barn and a lighted arena. Rolling lush land and mature oaks border a creek that intersects the property. $800,000
15 ACRES PLANT CITY
12 ACRES PLANT CITY
The property is buffered on the road by a beautiful oak hammock that offers great privacy and has improved pastures that are excellent for grazing. $225,000
Great vacant parcel for homesite or farm. Use as pastureland now or look for future development. The property is already platted into four parcels. $215,000
Reed Fischbach, Broker
813.546.1000
Fischbach Land Company
P.O. Box 2677 • Brandon, FL 33509
Note: While every attempt is made to provide as accurate information on the property offering as possible, FISCHBACH LAND COMPANY, LLC does not guarantee the accuracy thereof. Buyer shall rely entirely on their own information and inspection of property and records.
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By Shannon P. Mitchell – THE REDHEADED GARDENER
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all is on its way. I know it still feels like the “Dog Days of Summer,” but I promise cool breezes are coming. I’ve been working on sprucing up my garden when it’s bearable to be outside – usually early morning or late afternoon. A little attention each day prevents massive garden tangles to tackle later. I planted the last of my caladium bulbs. I weeded and pruned the momentous overgrowth caused by our summer monsoons. Most of all, I’ve enjoyed watching the summer butterflies flock around my native Firebush (Hamilia patens) plant. The Zebra Longwings have been abundant! I even saw the hummingbird I mentioned in an earlier column flitting around my Firespike (Odontenema stricta). Success! During the hot summer months it’s mostly about maintenance. The daily summer rains here in Florida are causing an abundance of growth. It’s like Jack personally dropped by and planted several magical beans in my garden. As a result, Florida gardeners (and I) stay quite busy just trying to keep up with the mundane chores in the jungle that is our tropical paradise. What I like about gardening in Florida is there is always that lovely surprise that shows up and makes it all worth it. As I walked around my garden last weekend scrutinizing what needs to be trimmed, what’s getting chewed on by our numerous Florida critters or what’s producing flowers or fruit, I saw one of the harbingers of fall that always makes me smile. American Beautyberry/French Mulberry bush or Callicarpa americana L. is a native star that has all kinds of lovely attributes. For me, the spectacular show of vibrant KoolAid® purple berries at this time of year is one W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M
of the primary reasons to have this native in your garden. According to Gil Nelson’s The Shrubs and Woody Vines of Florida, the name Callicarpa derives from the Greek and means “bearing beautiful fruit” which he states is a fitting name for this plant. I agree whole-heartedly. The leaves are pointed and ovate with lime yellow hues. The mix of lime background and purple berries is just stunning. Branches form weeping arcs with circling clusters of berries ringing the stems all along the leaf axils. There is a form that produces white berries and the two mixed in a natural shrub border can be dramatic. You can grow them in part sun to shade. They like dry pine or open hammock situations and mine are thriving under my live oak along with my native azaleas. I’ve seen them in woody Oak and Pine forests along Florida roadsides or wooded home driveways. Beautyberry grows anywhere from five to six feet tall and about as wide. Sometimes they can reach up to nine feet or more in height if left to their own devices. They are drought and freeze tolerant once established. Appearing in spring and early summer, light pink to white flowers are insignificant but attractive to pollinators such as bees and butterflies. The berries, however will attract all kinds of wildlife to your garden, but birds especially love them. My Cardinals are in constant proximity. So if you are a bird watcher, this is a must have for your Florida wildlife garden. You may also find Eastern Thrushes are drawn to the berries, as well as Black-Throated-Blue Warblers and RedEyed Vireos.
plenty – some for you and some for the deer. Beautyberry makes an excellent addition to your naturalized shrub garden. Another interesting tidbit regarding this native shrub is that the crushed berries and leaves make an effective mosquito, deerfly and tick repellant. Scientific studies are underway to confirm this effectiveness. Give it a try and let me know if it works for you. Heaven knows we need more ways to deter mosquitos here. There are also records of Southeastern Native American tribes including the Seminole nation using the plant and berries for various illness remedies though I wouldn’t recommend those uses here. Plan on sheering the bushes in late winter, after the berries have been consumed, to produce more lush growth in the spring. The berries should ripen mid to late winter when the birds need those extra food sources. One final note, Beautyberries make excellent jelly for human consumption. The berries themselves are not that tasty eating them straight off the bush, but they are edible. Yes I have had the jelly and it is good. If you’d like a recipe for the jelly visit this website http:/ / www.nolawn.com/ beauty_ berry_jelly.htm. Happy gardening!
Larger mammals like beautyberry as well. White-tailed deer will eat the leaves so if you border the wilds of Florida you may catch site of them nibbling your hedge so plant INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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RECIPES Recipes Courtesy of the Florida Department of Agriculture
Florida Sweet Bell Peppers with Beef
Add the tomatoes and cook for another minute. Remove the vegetables from the sauté pan to a bowl and set aside for the moment. In the same sauté pan, heat an additional 2 tablespoons of oil on medium high to high heat, until the oil is almost smoking. Carefully add the strips of beef and let the beef brown on both without much stirring. As soon as the beef reaches the desired doneness, add the vegetables and Worcestershire and cook quickly. Remove from heat and serve with seasoned brown rice or rice noodles.
Florida Relish for Hot Dogs
2 medium Florida bell peppers (your color choice), seeds and stem removed, sliced into 1/4-inch strips 1 pound top sirloin or your favorite cut of beef, excess fat trimmed Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 2 cloves of garlic, chopped 4 tablespoons olive oil, separated 1/2 Spanish onion, thinly sliced lengthwise (to match peppers) 1 large Florida tomato, roughly chopped 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
PREPARATION Trim any visible excess fat from the beef. Cut the beef across the grain into ¼ inch wide strips that are as long as the peppers and onions. Season the steak strips with kosher salt and pepper. Add chopped garlic to seasoned steak and let sit in the refrigerator for around 10 minutes. While the steak is sitting, heat a couple of tablespoons of oil in a large sauté pan on medium high to high heat. When the oil starts to smoke, add the sliced onions and bell peppers, cook wile stirring, until the peppers and onions are just barely starting to become tender, about 1-2 minutes. 50
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ʻʼ 2 fresh tomatoes, diced 1 cucumber, seeded and chopped 1 cup carrots, sliced 1 red onion, diced 6 radishes, thinly sliced 1 green bell pepper, chopped 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced kosher salt to taste freshly ground pepper to taste 1/4 cup white wine vinegar 1/4 cup olive oil 1 package kosher hot dogs 1 package hot dog buns
PREPARATION In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except hot dogs and buns and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes. Heat hot dogs by your preferred cooking method, place on buns and top with relish
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Florida Agritourism By Jim Frankowiak
New Association Formed to Aid roots and experience the joys and benefits of farm life. Buying locally sourced produce, meats and dairy products is becoming increasingly important to many families. In addition, agritourism operators provide amazing recreational activities for families that are off the beaten path and affordable,” he said. These activities also offer landowners the opportunity to foster a deeper understanding of Florida agriculture through varied hands-on experiences that also enable them to earn supplemental income by offering visitors friendly fun. “FATA is the statewide organization formed to support the growing agritourism market in Florida,” said Parks. Agritourism includes working farms, U-pick fruit and vegetable operations, exotic and farm animal exhibitions, vineyards and wineries, specialty crops and products, and hunting outfitters. “Farms are really the ultimate playground, giving in and out of state visitors new places to play, provides a huge opportunity for additional adventure in the travel industry, creating a new source of appreciable income for land and water stewards all across Florida.”
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gritourism is a strategy for Florida’s two top industries – Agriculture and Tourism – to blend their respective strengths to attract even more visitors to the state for the purpose of education, enjoyment or active involvement in the activities of agriculture as a means for sustaining the rural culture. Agriculture is critical to Florida’s economy as was pointedly demonstrated during the recent economic downturn. The industry is also important to food security and our quality of life. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Science in 2008 survey estimated Florida agriculture, natural resources and related industries provided more than 1.6 million jobs and $76.5 billion in value-added impacts every year. That same survey estimated that two-thirds of the state’s total land area – almost 24 million acres - is comprised of forests, croplands and ranches. In addition to our food, those lands provide conservation benefits including clean water and air and protection of our ecosystems and wildlife habitats. Florida’s farm and forest heritage and diverse terrain holds high potential for adventures and opportunity. “Agritourism, one of the state’s fast-growing new business ventures, allows small farms to survive and thrive,” said Ben Parks, formerly of the Florida Farm Bureau Federation where he served as Director, State Legislative Affairs and is now the executive director of the newly formed Florida Agritourism Association (FATA). “Florida Agritourism is the ultimate field trip where Floridians and visitors to our state want to return to their rural
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“A solution-oriented organization, FATA recognizes that agritourism is a business and can only survive as a business with markets and workable rules. We want to help farms realize value on every acre. We will help legislative leaders at the state and local levels better understand agritourism and the economic opportunities it provides to help sustain Florida’s rural communities,” said Parks. “The founders of our association were instrumental in passing the original ‘Agritourism Bill’ in 2007 and an updated version this year.” The new law stops a local government from prohibiting, restricting, regulating or otherwise limiting an agritourism activity on land that has been classified as agricultural by a property appraiser. The new law also establishes a limitation on legal liability from the inherent risks for the land owner, agritourism operator and employees if a notice of risk is posted on the land. “As more landowners embark on agritourism activities, there will be additional political, insurance, tax, zoning, planning and other issues that will arise,” noted Parks. “FATA is committed to acting as a clearinghouse for information and using our combined 75 years of legislative experience to advocate legal protection of Florida agritourism businesses. In addition to advocacy, the new association will be engaged in the promotion and expansion of agritourism in Florida. Among member benefits are: • An opportunity to earn the Accredited Florida Agritourism Attraction designation • Florida agritourism website and directory of destinations participation • Workshops and events for destination development and expansion • Insurance and signage Parks said the association currently has three membership options: Founder - $1,000, Associate - $250 and General Member - $100. For additional information email the association at visitfloridafarms@gmail.com or call Ben Parks at (850) 559-1155. W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M
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Photos by Stephanie Humphrey
A Decade of Consistent Growth and a Bright Future By Jim Frankowiak
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t’s pretty hard to believe but it was in the spring of 2003 that Joe Keel made his first batch of blueberry wine, which he termed so-so, but drinkable. Joe is about to celebrate production of his one-millionth bottle of wine in just a few weeks. “It has been a lot of hard work for my dad and continued aggressive marketing,” said Keel’s son Clay, one of four family members engaged with the winery and three other related businesses: Keel Farms, the Keel & Curley retail store and Six Stars Beverage Company, the exclusive distributor of Keel & Curley Wines and other brands. In addition to Joe and Clay, the family staff members include Joe’s wife Alicia and son Ryan. Another son, Ray, is a corporate pilot based in Orlando. The businesses have a total of 35 fulltime staffers, 25 part-time employees and upwards of 150 seasonal workers. Born in Peoria, Illinois, Keel’s family moved to Tampa when he was 16 months old. “My dad attended the University of Miami Law School and his roommate was a Tampa native. While in law school, he enjoyed the climate and when planning where to pursue his law career, it was an easy decision for him to pick Tampa,” said Keel. Many members of his family still reside in the Peoria area. Growing up in south Tampa, Keel spent his summers from age 7 to 17 at his grandparent’s farm near Peoria. “That’s where my love for agriculture began and was nurtured.” His grandparents had a field corn and hay operation and other family members in the area were also involved in agriculture. Keel’s college education began at St. Petersburg Junior College, where he earned an Associate of Arts degree. He then earned an undergraduate degree in Business Administration at the University of South Florida in 1979. Keel began a wholesale nursery operation in 1981 at what is now the headquarters of Keel & Curley Winery. “We had good success supplying plants for both commercial and residential customers like Disney, Home Depot and WalMart,” he said. “However, something was missing. I wanted to grow something people consumed.” The idea for blueberries came from Bret Boston, who sold Keel containers for his wholesale landscape nursery. “I started out small in 1996 and grew slowly so that by 2001 I was growing blueberries exclusively.” He has 35-acres of blueberries at two locations, one where his nursery had been and now the home of the winery and related companies near the intersection of Forbes and Thonotosassa roads, and another in the Keysville area. Recently, he acquired a 10-acre site along I-4 where peaches are being grown and there will no doubt be a peach wine in the not too distant future.
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The winery is named after both sides of his family and it honestly began in his kitchen in 2003. “Our fruit that season was fine, but we screened out some berries as they were not aesthetically pleasing and consequently could not be sold as fresh fruit.” He thought about jellies, jam and pies, but decided on blueberry wine. “I took a winemaking class in Pinellas County and we have grown steadily ever since,” said Keel. The first batch of 10-gallons of blueberry wine was drinkable, but got better with each new batch. In just a few weeks, the Keel’s will pass the mark of their one-millionth bottle of quality wine. Colorado native Jared Gilbert is head winemaker, a post he has held since 2009. Keel and Curley Winery produces three types of blueberry wines, each with its own distinctive taste, a sweet, a semi-dry and a dry wine. Each is made from 100 percent blueberries. In 2011, the winery introduced two blackberry wines, a dry and a sweet. The winery also produces seven different fusion wines, grape wines blended with fruit juices. The seven include Strawberry Riesling, Wild Berry Pinot Noir, Tangerine Zinfandel, Key West – Key Lime, Black Raspberry Merlot and Peach Chardonnay. Keel and Curley wine is available at some 1,500 retail locations in Florida and Georgia, including Publix stores and a growing number of Wal-Mart locations in Florida which has grown from three initially to 15 and most recently to 65 stores all in Florida. “We ship to 38 other states via web site sales and a licensing agreement with United Parcel Service,” noted Keel. The winery also offers a tasting room and gift shop where visitors can experience the winery’s “passion to craft fine wines and create a quality experience for our customers.” They have the option to enjoy
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their beverage of choice on a spacious deck adjacent to the tasting room. Keel and Curley Winery hosts regular events at its headquarters and that will be the case October 19 when production of the one-millionth bottle of wine will be celebrated, but there’s more. That 10th anniversary event October 19 has been named Biertoberfest since it will officially introduce Two Henrys Brewing Co. and its products. Named after Florida rail barons Henry Plant and Henry Flagler, the Keels have decided to enter the craft beer business, a market segment that’s been growing with leaps and bounds. Recipes have been developed for pale ale, a lager, an IPA and a stout with plans to add seasonal and other varieties as well. The brewery operates out of the original Keel and Curley winery and can produce up to 42 kegs per day. “The introduction of Two Henrys will enable us to grow our customer base,” said Clay. “The majority of our wine customers – some 60 to 65 percent – are female, while the demographics for beer drinkers is the opposite.” Clay, who is pursuing a Master of Business Administration graduate degree with an emphasis on marketing, was convinced early on that handcrafted beer was a great opportunity, but that concept did not jell with his father until the elder Keel attended Oktoberfest in Germany last October. “In addition, we already had equipment, facilities and a tasting room for this newest beverage offering.” Two Henrys beers will be sold at the tasting store and “we plan to get into a few local bars and restaurants to help get the word out about the brewery,” said Clay. Flagler and Plant were responsible for forming the railroad system that helped connect Florida’s east and west coasts. The two men are depicted on the brewery’s logo along
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with 2013, the date of its establishment in Plant City. The Keels are inviting local home brewers to share their beer with other enthusiasts at Biertoberfest. They are also seeking food vendors and teams to participate in the cornhole tournament to be held during the festival. Cornhole is another name for bean bag throwing during which competitors pitch bags of corn kernels or others types of uncooked beans at boards with pre-cut holes, each with its own point value. “The top team will win $400 and our prize list spans all the way to 10th place,” said Clay. The anniversary also includes a Gold Cork Contest in which 10 golden corks in bottles going to stores prior to the festival. People who find the golden corks will gather at the winery to compete for the grand prize, a trip to Napa Valley for a steam train tour of California wineries. The other finalists will receive Keel and Curley gifts, including a case of Keel and Curley Wine, gift baskets and a private tour guided by the owner.
“When this all began in 2003, I wasn’t thinking about one million bottles of wine,” said Keel. “It wasn’t easy getting people to accept blueberry wine over grape wine, but once they did, they liked it.” For more information about Keel and Curley Winery and Biertoberfest, visit: www.keelandcurleywinery.com. Or visit the tasting room/gift shop at 5210 West Thonotosassa Road, Plant City.
Clay said there are other new initiatives planned for the near term. “Canned wine makes a great deal of sense from many different perspectives and we will begin with sangria very soon,” he said. Taste and environmental friendliness are two obvious benefits of canned wine. “We see that growing to our other varieties and Two Henrys beer. Those are natural entries to convenience store market segment,” he added. It’s been an impressive 10-year run for Keel & Curley Winery. Hard work and an ongoing commitment to introducing new products to new consumers through aggressive marketing are the keys of success that continue to guide Joe and his team.
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In The Field magaz ine’s very own Bob Hughens competed in the Kiwanis Club of Plant City’s first B usiness Spelling Bee held on Augus t 6 at the 1914 PCH S Community Building. David Wolf, of Hau ght Funeral Home, lured unsuspecting people from local b usinesses to this fir st event to face a fear shared by a hu ge majority of peop le – public speaking . Fun was had by all , both competitors and spectators alik It was a magnanim e. ous day for the Kiw anis Club and Plan City and we can’t w t ait for the next com petition when we once again nomina te Bob to represen t In The Field. Thanks Bob! That’ s B – O – B.
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A Closer Look
By Sean Green
Photo Credit: William Leonard
Roly Poly (Armadillidium vulgare)
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ometimes the simplest of creatures can be the most fascinating and entertaining, a case in point is the Roly-Poly (Armadillidiidae). Other common names for this creature include: Woodlouse, Pill Bug, Potato Bug, and Armadillo Bug just to name a few. Most children can recite their common name at a glance and are often eager to catch and examine them. Roly-Polys are harmless and relatively easy to find, making them a popular first pet or at least counted among the first animal friends children experience. Common names of animals can be deceptive. Roly-Polys are not bugs at all, nor are they insects, they are crustaceans and more related to crabs, lobster and shrimp than anything else. Without going into too much taxonomic detail, Roly-Polys are Isopods, the only classification of animals that includes a large group of land dwelling crustaceans. Fossil records indicate that these invertebrates date back to at least the early cretaceous period and possibly as early as the carboniferous over 300 million years ago. Isopods differ from other crustaceans in many ways, one of which is ability to roll up into a ball. Of all the living Isopods, only those in the genus Armadillidiidae have the characteristic ability that inspired the common name Roly-Poly. Most of the Armadillidiidae found in North America are believed to have been introduced from Europe. Armadillidiidae as a group are thought of as decomposers and their role in soil ecology is similar to that of an earthworm, feeding primarily on decaying organic material, but are also said to feed on lichens, algae, mold and fungi. Armadillidiidae are sometimes housed with exotic pets such as reptiles, amphibians or even other invertebrates to keep the habitat clean.
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Armadillidiidae are efficient recyclers of energy, they will not only clean up the feces left behind from exotic pets, but their own as well. An arthropods circulatory system includes a copper rather than iron based protein carrier giving them blue rather than red blood. The circulatory system is only used to transport nutrients throughout the body, not oxygen. Armadillidiidae respiration is done with trachea-like lungs which must remain moist to function. Ironically, despite their successful adaptation to land, Armadillidiidae never evolved to develop the waxy cuticle that insects and spiders have developed, consequently, Armadillidiidae are very susceptible to dehydration and will often die when humidity levels fall below 50 percent. Amazingly, the problem of dehydration is overcome with another interesting adaptation. When humidly levels exceed about 87 percent, Armadillidiidae can absorb water vapor from the air to rehydrate, this makes Florida and other humid southern states an ideal environment in which they thrive. Armadillidium vulgare is native to the Mediterranean and can withstand drier conditions than most other Armadillidiida species. This particular species is only found in calcareous soils, also common in Florida, especially in coastal counties. Although not first on the scene for decomposition, Armadillidiida return organic material to the soil, it is then digested by protozoa, bacteria, and fungi to release nitrates, phosphates and other nutrients for plant absorption. Even more exciting is their ability to ingest and crystallize heavy metals such as copper, lead, zinc, and other contaminants. Because Armadillidiida can tolerate toxic metal ions, they can restore topsoil formation and accelerate the establishment of soil stabilizing plants in contaminated sites that few insect species would survive. Although Armadillidiida is not considered a pest, its potential as such should not be discarded. Many sources maintain Armadillidiida will only consume live plants or animals when other food sources have diminished, however, Armadillidium vulgare in particular is known to feed on seedlings of many crops including bean, cowpea, radish, lettuce, mustard, and tomato. Young Armadillidiida are sometimes cannibalistic and considering the eating habits of their relatives, (crabs, shrimp, and lobster), it becomes increasingly difficult to deny this animal is an opportunistic feeder and may feed on crops or home gardens if the opportunity is exists. Without inordinate populations, Armadillidium vulgare is unlikely to become a pest and more likely to remain a neutral if not beneficial species. Females brood several hundred fertilized eggs at a time once or twice each summer storing them in a brood pouch filled with nutritive fluid located on the underside of her body. The eggs hatch in three to four weeks and the young remain in the pouch for a couple more weeks before crawling away for their first molt. Subsequent molts are at two week intervals for the next 20 weeks then intermittent intervals thereafter. Armadillidiida can be found anywhere that provides a moist shelter and organic material.They will be found with earthworms, millipedes and other decomposers under damp rotting wood, large rocks, or leaf litter. Finding one will be easiest at night. For those who wish to keep one as a pet, an appropriate habitat is described on the activity page. •
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Betty Jo Hooker, 83 of Plant City died August 9, 2013, She was the daughter of the late Charles and Evelyn Crawford Anderson.
Earl E. Knight, Jr., 86 of Plant City, died August 4, 2013, at his home. Roy Odell Hobbs, 89 of Plant City, died August 4, 2013, at Health Center of Plant City.
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Linda Lucille Andersen, 65 of Plant City died July 28, 2013, at South Florida Baptist Hospital. Ronald “Ronnie” Smith, 66 of Plant City died July 25, 2013. Heral Duane Van Hook, 65 of Plant City died July 22, 2013, at his home.
James "Max" Mercer, 83 of Plant City, died August 22, 2013 surrounded by his loving family. Philip "Phil" Runnels, 68 of Lutz died at his home Thursday, August 22, 2013.
Howard Holmes "Sonny" Barnes, 76 of Plant City died August 12, 2013, at Sun City Center Hospice House.
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Family Day Fundraiser at the Mildred W. and Doyle E. Carlton Jr.
Cracker Country at the Florida State Fairgrounds n December 2012, the Ag community was introduced to the new degree program and the proposed Warner University Agricultural Complex during a Family Day event at Brama Island. Since then, we have raised $750,000 toward the $2 million needed for the Complex. It’s imperative that we raise the other funds since this Fall, Warner University officially received the first class for the Agricultural Studies Program. Almost 30 students are enrolled in the Ag Studies major and arrived on August 26.
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This year’s Ag Studies Program Fundraiser will be located at the Mildred W. and Doyle E. Carlton Jr. Cracker
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Country at the Florida State Fairgrounds on Saturday, October 26, 2013. Whether you have been to Cracker Country, or never experienced it, you will want to be at this Family Day event. Cracker Country is an outdoor living history museum where you can see, touch and feel what rural pioneer Florida was like between 1870 and 1912. For more information email ag@warner.edu. Mark your calendars for October 26 and plan for a great day of fun for the entire family.
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Attracting Wildlife in the Landscape By Lynn Barber, FloridaFriendly Landscaping™ Agent
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ow we manage our landscapes impacts wildlife, either positively or negatively. If we plant invasive exotic plants, like Chinese tallow or Australian pine, they can take over and destroy natural areas that are wildlife habitats. These habitats provide elements necessary to attract wildlife: food, cover/shelter, water and space. Furnishing these attractants is, however, insufficient because we need to minimize other impacts in our landscapes. The following tips will increase the wildlife in your yard: • Limit the amount of your lawn. Turf should have a purpose. It doesn’t offer much food or cover for wildlife. Groundcovers may be a better alternative, such as Perennial peanut, Bronze beauty or Confederate jasmine. • Increase vertical layering, which provides shelter. Use groundcovers, annuals, perennials, shrubs and trees. • Provide a water source, like a birdbath or small pond. See my comments about cleaning bird baths in this article. • Plant native or non-native adaptive plants that provide food and cover. Food includes flowering and fruiting plants. • Create a butterfly garden by adding nectar and larval (caterpillar) host plants. Nectar plants bring butterflies to your garden. Larval plants need to be selected for specific butterfly species. The University of Florida publication cited below, “Butterfly Gardening in Florida,” contains a butterfly region map, list of butterfly species, habitat, flight season and a list of native butterfly nectar plants. • Provide bird/bat houses and bird feeders. Different types of bird seed and feeders increase bird diversity. Be sure to wash all birdfeeders and birdbaths on a regular basis, using soap and water or 1 part chlorine bleach and 10 parts water. Rinse several times with warm water. For wood or cement bird feeders or baths, only use warm water and soap, not chlorine. For hummingbird feeders, only use hot water and a small amount of soap, no chlorine bleach. Old seeds in bird feeders should be cleaned out because they rot over time and can make birds ill. There are lethal diseases that can be spread between birds at feeders and baths. • Remove invasive exotic plants, which
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decrease our natural areas. In our remaining natural areas, nearly 1.7 million acres have been invaded by exotic, invasive plant species. The more invasives, the less natural areas. If you have questions about what plants may be exotic invasives, you can check at the University of Florida, IFAS, Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants at: http:/ / plants.ifas.ufl.edu. • Manage pets. When pets run loose in communities, they disrupt wildlife. • Decrease pesticide use. Most don’t target one insect species. So, when we kill the bad bugs (less than 1% of all bugs), we kill the good ones, too, and then have to take on their work. Spot treat as needed; don’t broadcast pesticides. Organic pest control is better for the environment. When we create a wildlife habitat, we benefit by viewing pollinators in action (flies, bees, wasps, moths and butterflies). We can also enjoy birds, hummingbirds and reptiles. Virginia Overstreet of Extension said, “I enjoy knowing that my garden attracts pollinators. Seeing bees, wasps, dragonflies and butterflies reminds me that my landscape is a healthy ecosystem. These beneficial insects would not visit my garden if they couldn’t find food or habitat here.” Certainly there are some types of wildlife we/I would prefer weren’t attracted to our landscapes, like armadillos. However, they do eat grubs and aerate the soil. I’m seeking a positive spin here! For more information on this topic, please see the University of Florida publications from which this article was adapted: “Landscaping Backyards for Wildlife: Top Ten Tips for Success” by Mark E. Hostetler, Gregg Klowden, Sarah Webb Miller, Kara N. Youngentob at: http:/ / edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ pdffiles/ U W/ U W175 00.pdf and “Butterfly Gardening in Florida” by Jaret C. Daniels, Joe Schaefer, Craig N. Huegel, and Frank J. Mazzotti at: http:/ / edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ pdffiles/ U W/ U W057 00.pdf. You can also view the University of Florida website for information on specific butterfly species at: http:/ / edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ topic_butterflies. As always, follow the landscape or architectural control procedures before making changes if you live in a deed restricted community. For assistance with horticultural questions, call: 813-744-5519 or visit us at the Hillsborough County Extension Service, 5339 County Road 579, Seffner, FL 33584. More gardening information is available at: http:/ / hillsborough.ifas.ufl.edu and http:/ / edis.ifas.ufl.edu. Remember to reuse, reduce and recycle.
Naturally Amazing Activities
Isopod Habitat By Sean Green
Roly Polys and other Isopods make fascinating pets, they can live several years under ideal conditions and if you have other exotic pets such as reptiles, amphibians or invertebrates, they can help keep your other habitats clean. They are the equivalent of shrimp in a fish tank, and will eagerly consume debris left behind by other organisms. This habitat is designed to be easy to maintain and clean. Adaptations can be made to create a space within a reptile, amphibian, or invertebrate habitat that you want the Isopods to coexist with.
Materials Main Habitat: • Plastic food container with lid • Paper Towels (natural and unbleached if possible, will provide both bedding and nutrition) • Sponge (new) – if unbleached paper towels are not available • Limestone rock (source of calcium for the Isopod) • Punch holes along the top edge or lid of the container about an inch apart to allow for ventilation. • Snake the wick of the water delivery system along the bottom of the container
• Lay down a base of paper towel sheets and dampen (not wet) • Place Limestone rock and food source (Potato) on top of the damp base layer. • Place crumpled strips of damp paper towel on top of the layer of Limestone and food. • Lay a top layer of paper towel sheets over the crumpled strips to provide covering. • Place the lid on the container to help retain humidity
Water Delivery System: • Plastic food container with lid Thick hollow shoestring • Drill a hole in the lid of the container large enough for the shoestring to fit through. • Thread the shoestring through the lid, and across the bottom of the container to wick water, tape the wick to the top of the lid to secure it. • Fill the container with water and close the lid. Shoestring wick should be submerged in water. • The remaining shoestring is to be snaked along the bottom of the habitat container to wick water into it similar to the concept of drip irrigation.
Food:
Fish food flakes sprinkled on the substrate surface, Hollowed out pieces of potato, apple, or carrot. (Provides a dugout for the Isopod to eat from)
Precautions:
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• Discourage excessive mold in the enclosure by removing moldy food, immature isopods are small and may be difficult to find, tap them off the food and/or paper towels before removal. • If mold persists, increase ventilation in lid (or remove for a period of supervised time). • Avoid mixing different species of isopods (i.e. roly polys or sowbugs) in the same container. • When populations cause overcrowding, waste gases can kill the isopods, release some back to the wild. Enjoy your pets. W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M
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Plant City
Garden Club
Aquaponics Workshop Scheduled for October A one day workshop on Aquaponics, the cultivation of fish and plants in one eco-system, will be offered by the Florida Aquaculture Association on October 25, 2013 at the Florida Department of Agriculture’s Nora Mayo Hall Building in Winter Haven.
The Plant City Garden Club and The Plant City Downtown Business and Merchants Association have teamed up to host this year’s GARDENFEST AND MORE on September 28, 2013 from 9:00 A.M. till 3:00 P.M. The event will feature plants galore for your fall gardening needs, garden art to spice up your gardens, as well as antiques, art, crafts, food and more all centered in Plant City’s McCall Park and the Train Depot (202 N. Palmer St.). The event is free to the public along with free parking. For more information contact 813-716-0950.
Aquaponics is the fastest growing segment of aquaculture. It is a sustainable food production system that combines conventional aquaculture, the raising of aquatic animals such as food fish or aquarium fish, with hydroponics – the cultivating of plants in water in one eco-environment. In aquaculture, effluents accumulate in the water, increasing toxicity for the fish. This water is led to a hydroponic system where the by-products from the aquaculture are broken down by nitrogen-fixing bacteria, then filtered out by the plants as nutrients, after which the cleaned water is recirculated back to the animals. The one day course will cover the topics most important to being successful in aquaponics, including aquaponic methods and applications, aquatic livestock and plant choices, along with an overview of water quality, growing techniques, system requirements, fish health and feeds, plant care and selection, system startup basics and business considerations. This course will include three hours of classroom instruction by leading experts in their field, followed by a self-drive field trip to an innovative aquaponics installation and teaching facility in Dade City. Attendees will learn the basics of sustainably raising fish, herbs and vegetables together, using fewer resources than traditional farming, and the added benefit of producing food without the use of pesticides, herbicides or chemical fertilizers, all year ‘round! This is your chance to learn about aquaponic food production and how you can grow fresh fish and herbs/vegetables for your family or in a profitable business venture. Advance registration is required. Attendees can register for this educational course by visiting the FAA website at – www.flaa.org. Individuals can save $30 by registering at the early-bird rate of $95 prior to September 30. This one-day training seminar is designed to teach the basics of raising fish and aquaponic plants in a naturally balanced, integrated culture system. Participants will learn about the basic needs of food and/or aquarium fish and how they should be cared for and raised. Participants will also learn how to use the wastewater from the fish to raise pesticide-free, nutritious healthy vegetables without soil. A (self-drive) field trip to MorningStar Farms in Dade City, an innovative aquaponics installation and teaching facility, will allow participants to see firsthand a working aquaponics facility. This workshop is perfect for middle and secondary school or vocational students and teachers of science, ecology, and agriculture, gardening clubs, FFA clubs, and individuals interested in learning an innovative way to produce a constant supply of fish and herbs and/or vegetables using a simple, naturally balanced, ecologically sound system. No prior knowledge of aquaponics is required or assumed. •
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Plant City Chamber of Commerce Salute to
Agriculture Breakfast presented by Farm Credit of Central Florida
Photos by Ron OʼConnor – Farm Credit
The Florida Strawberry Festival Agricultural Center was filled with more than 250 members of the Plant City Chamber of Commerce who were on hand to honor those who put food on our tables.
Agriculture Educator of the Year – Emily Petrilli, Tomlin Middle School Supporter of Youth in Agriculture – Jon Poppell, associate director Florida Strawberry Festival Agriculture Business of the Year – Wish Farms Agriculturist of the Year – Steve Mathis, strawberry and blueberry grower The Plant City Chamber also presented Sam Astin III of Astin farms with the Good Egg Award. Congratulations to the award recipients and a special thank you to the Plant City Chamber of Commerce and Farm Credit of Central Florida! W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M
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by Cheryl Kuck
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or years Mike Tolley has been respected in the hospitality industry as the man who, through his vast experience as a consultant with the OSI Group (in association with Bloomin' Brands Inc.) has started 99 restaurants including Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba's Italian Grill, Bonefish Grill, Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, Roy's, Bahama Breeze, his first Uncle Mike’s Smokehouse Grill in Brandon and now his 100th restaurant is the recently opened Uncle Mike’s Smokehouse Grill expansion in Plant City which he partners with his longtime friend David Howell. The new site was originally the red building known as Cowboy’s Steakhouse (a Tolley design) located on the corner of State Road 60 and County Road 39. Tolley and Howell are justifiably proud of their new endeavor situated on ll-acres. That acreage, with its old-fashioned covered bridge, a 3,000 square-foot open-air pavilion, 8-acres of space they envision using for rodeos, plus several log cabin-style buildings, are opening up new possibilities for extensive on-site catering.
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From the left, Mike Tolley and David Howell shake hands on their new partnership under the eagle eye of the restaurantʼs cowboy mascot. The site is a beautiful and welcoming location for a country wedding, holiday or fund-raising functions. “We help plan and cater everything from tail-gate parties, sporting events and birthdays on or offsite. You name it we can do it,” says Tolley.
Uncle Mike’s trends toward outstanding barbeque and comfort food. Daily specials are highlighted on the chalkboard inside the entrance. If you ask me what’s special, I couldn’t begin to decide since everything looks and smells fantastic.
The partners have also added an outdoor enclosure to house their “mother of all smokers,” a 17-foot long cast iron behemoth smoker grill with 160-square feet of cooking surface where meats are slowcooked for hours over hickory and oak wood.
Just because the atmosphere is “laid back and comfortable,” don’t consider this a fast-food restaurant. The owners insist on top-quality, purchasing all custom-cut meats and produce “100 percent local” every other day. Meats are never frozen with only the freshest served by the cooks
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and kitchen manager, brought to Plant City from the original Brandon location to insure a smooth transition. Tolley loves his specialty short rib sandwich and describes it this way, “Well, it’s like a pot roast with the beef pulled off the bone and simmered in au jus. Then the meat goes on toasted Cuban bread with melted Mozzarella Cheese and a secret sauce whose mixture includes horseradish and mustard.” If you’ve never eaten cactus… anything, try a bowl of cactus chili or maybe hog wings. Hog wings? Well, I guess if pigs could fly they would want their wings to be made of falling-off-the-bone juicy smoked pork shank.
Since both partners, Tolley and Howell, are family men (Tolley boasts of having 49 nieces and nephews and a new baby boy named Blake Michael) they agree that their primary goal is for Uncle Mike’s to be known as a kid-friendly family place with family-friendly entertainment and great food at reasonable prices. Just can’t miss it…you’re able to smell the wonderful woodsy barbeque aromas for miles so if you lose your directions or your GPS isn’t working…just follow your nose! •
Little kids and big cowboys can’t get enough of that extra thick and creamy white cheddar mac ‘n cheese, but only kids get to eat free on Tuesdays from 5:00 p.m. to closing time. There’s also lots of room for the young and young at heart to play pool, darts or other arcade games in the balcony area. With great steaks and chops on the menu, the too frequently overlooked flat iron steak was frankly amazing, unbelievably tender and grilled to perfection, accompanied by garlic mashed potatoes with a well of au jus, smoked green beans, and a delish mayonnaise and cider vinegar lightly tossed purple cabbage coleslaw that is an original recipe from Mike’s wife Simone, a former Tampa Bay Buccaneer cheerleader. Simone is also the weekly Thursday night country line dance instructor on the big dance floor in front of the bar area. Folks just love to line up for the free lessons, fun and lots of stompin’ good exercise guaranteed to work off that rack of hand-rubbed St. Louis-style pork ribs or bourbon pecan pie and ice cream.
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Our Services Include: Cosmetic Crown and Bridge Dentures Xrays • Cleanings • Root Canals Whitening • Denture Repairs - while you wait • In-Office BOTOX Now Offering LASER PERIO SURGERY (A more effective way to treat gum disease)
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WOODSIDE DENTAL Coupon Expires 10/15/13
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WHAT’S NEW AT SOUTHSIDE?
A LOT MORE THAN YOU THINK
By Jim Frankowiak
A
number of years ago there was an advertising campaign that touted, “It’s not your father’s Oldsmobile.” The essence of that message – it’s not what you think it is – applies to Southside Western & Outdoor Wear, Farm & Pet. That is a venerable landmark begun by Dennis Der 34 years ago on the southern end of Plant City and sold earlier this year to his friends, Tim and Pam Lopez. “Dennis did a great job in building his business, and we’ve grown on his foundation with a decided expansion of the boot line plus the addi-
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tion of hats, right-priced jewelry, Columbia brand shirts and an expanded clothing line offering more than just western wear,” said Tim, an admitted “Columbia, boots and jeans guy.” The first thing the Lopez’s did after buying the business and site where it is located was to build what they call a boot saloon within the 15,000-square-foot retail store. “We offer 3,000 pairs of boots ranging in price from $69 to $2000 for exotics,” said Lopez. Some of the new brands include BlackJack, Lucchese and Old Gringo. “We are the exclusive retail shop for some of these custom boot brands in Florida.”
available, what’s selling and how we can become a true destination for those interested in buying what we have to offer. Our appeal is to both city and country folks. Simply put you don’t have to be a cowboy or cowgirl to shop happy at Southside,” said Pam, who used to call on Southside as a pharmaceutical sales representative.
“Some people have the mistaken idea that Southside is a dirt floor feed store with some western wear for sale,” said Pam. “Yes, we continue to sell feed and western wear, but we also have clothing and jewelry enabling our customers to dress elegantly at an affordable price. Much of what we have to offer is comparable to those items some feel they must travel to the mall to purchase, but that’s just wrong. It’s available here and for less money.”
Just as they have expanded the lines they carry, Tim and Pam have bolstered marketing for Southside with aggressive social media initiatives and innovative radio advertising featuring Tan Fletcher. “We encourage our customers to register for our text specials and to like us on Facebook so they can view our daily posts.” The results thus far are impressive. “Growth in clothing and boot sales is up significantly and that confirms the decisions we have made and actions we have taken,” said Tim. Community outreach is also an emphasis for the Lopez’s with memberships and active participation in The Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis Club of Plant City and FFA to name a few. “Giving back to the community is important to us.”
Though both Tim and Pam are new to the retail marketplace, they have and continue to do their homework. “We have taken the time to visit successful retail shops across Florida so we know what’s
Tim and Pam’s son, Michael, who runs the feed store side of the business, along with 20-year Southside veteran Carney Walden, is married to Brittany, one of the Der’s nieces. The Lopez’s have been
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married for 34 years and are residents of the Springhead area. Tim also owns Westcoast Enterprises, a construction firm currently specializing in residential construction for a number of national homebuilders in the west central Florida area. “I am happy to note that our construction business has taken off dramatically the last year and we are approaching pre-downturn levels, but I am at Southside every Friday and Saturday and Pam is at the store every day. Staying in touch with our customers is very important to us. We’re still learning, but I see a time not too far away when we will be expanding and adding more stores.
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“We are both ‘people people’ and enjoy being on the floor greeting and helping our customers have a pleasant shopping experience,” said Tim. “If I could offer some advice to the residents of this area I would suggest before you head to the mall for your next clothing purchase, give Southside a try,” said Pam. “I think you will be pleasantly surprised with what we offer and its price.” For more information, including store hours, visit: www.southsidestores.com
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The 31st annual Agritech, hosted by the Florida Strawberry Growers Association, was held August 12 – 14 at the John R. Trinkle Building in Plant City. The theme of the year was Hunting and as such, a clay shoot and dinner were held on Monday night at FishHawk Sporting Clays in Lithia. Guest speakers at the event covered topics that included food safety, immigration, fumigant alternatives, trace back and labor issues.
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Country music recording artist, Easton Corbin, sang for more than 800 FFA students at the Florida State Fairgrounds on Friday, August 30. Now an award winning country music artist, Corbin was raised on his grandparents farm in Trenton attended, Trenton High School in Gilchrist County and was a member of the FFA there. He went on to earn a degree in agriculture at the University of Florida before heading to Nashville to pursue his dream. Corbin’s FFA advisor, Michelle Walker–Crawford was there to cheer on her former student. When asked if he sang in high school, she replied, “He was very quiet.” As a member of the livestock judging team, she said he would, “throw open the door and say all right, you’ve got 20 minutes, I’ve got guitar lessons.” This was a big joke because everyone thought he would go to UF, get his degree and come back home. Growing up on a small ranch, Corbin showed cattle and judged livestock as a member of FFA. According to him, FFA taught him, “Whatever dream you have, you can achieve it if you work hard.” He went on to say, “People gave me a chance and that’s why I’m up here today.” 96
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The concert was part of Dodge Ram’s “Year of the Farmer” promotion. They dedicate 2013 to celebrating the American farmer and kicked it off with the much loved commercial during the Super Bowl, “So God Made A Farmer,” narrated by Paul Harvey. Students from 25 schools in Hillsborough County, and 18 other schools around the state were on hand for the show.
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Classifieds ANIMALS & NEEDS CECIL BREEDING FARM Full service thoroughbred farm from foaling to the track. Broodmare care. Investment opportunities. 863-899-9620 ANIMAL CONTROL Complete Nuisance/Destructive Wildlife Removal & Management! Wild hogs, coyotes, raccoons, opossum, armadillo, squirrels, bobcats, etc. (licensed & insured professional Services) 863-287-2311 ANIMAL & BIRDCAGES Equipment serving the fur bearing animal & exotic bird industry! Cages built to order. Wire by roll or foot. (813) 752-2230. Call Don Ammerman. www.ammermans.com Swaps July 14, 2013 and December 1, 2013 CHICKEN MANURE FOR SALE Dry and available immediately! Call Tim Ford or Danny Thibodeau 863-439-3232 DOVE HUNTS Lithia area limited number of memberships still available. Call Fish Hawk Sporting Clays. 813-689-0490.
BUILDING SUPPLIES DOUBLE INSULATED THERMO PANE Starting at $55. Call Ted 813-752-3378 WINDOW SCREENS We make window screens of all sizes available in different frame colors. Call Ted 813-752-3378 T1-11 4 X 8 SHEET 5/8-INCH THICK B-grade $22.95. Call Ted 813-752-3378 NEW DOORS CLOSEOUT SPECIAL!!! $75 to $295. Call Ted today 813-752-3378 MOBILE HOME TUBS Metal brand new in box 54” Mobile Home Tubs. Call Ted 813-752-3378 $145.00
FARM EQUIPMENT MASSEY FERGUSON 20C Industrial tractor with loader. 3 pt. lift, live pto, shuttle transmission. $4,500 Call Robbie 863-537-1345 MAHINDRA 8560 40 actual hrs., 2wd, diesel, 83hp, shuttle shift, warranty. $22,500 Call Alvie 813-759-8722 1993 MASSEY FERGUSON 362 4wd tractor. 55 pto hp with shuttle trans. $11,900 Call Alvie 813-759-8722 MASSEY HARRIS FERGUSON NO. 16 PACER With belly mower $1950 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
Tel: 813.759.6909 BAD BOY CZT50 Zero turn 26hp Kawasaki. 138 hrs., Warranty. $4,995 Call Alvie 813-759-8722 USED EQUIPMENT Mowers, disk, box blades & disk plows. Call Alvie TODAY! 813-759-8722 MASSEY FERGUSON 210 2wd., diesel tractor. $3,750 Call Alvie. 813-759-8722 KUBOTA M105 2 wheel drive, cab tractor w/ a.c. 1700 hours. $23,000. Call Rodney 863-581-9396
FOR SALE KITCHEN CABINETS & VANITIES NEW all wood. Call 813-752-3378 Ask for Blake DOORS AND WINDOWS SPECIAL ORDER No upcharge. House & mobile home. Many standard sizes in stock. Call 813-752-3378 Ask for Blake PAINT 5 gallon top quality paint $55. Colors available: Terra Cotta, Coral, Green, Gray, Blue, Beige and Yellow. Call 813-620-3006
JOBS CONTRIBUTING WRITER Write about events in your community. Immediate openings in Hillsborough and Polk Counties. Paid per article. Responsibilities include covering community events and taking pictures. Email your resume to sarah@inthefieldmagazine.com INDEPENDENT ACCOUNT MANAGER In T he Field Magazine is looking for independent account managers to join our team! Please contact Danny@inthefieldmagazazine.com or call 813-759-6909.
LAWN EQUIPMENT/SUPPLIES BRAND NEW HUSTLER RAPTOR Zero Turn Mower. 52" cut, 23 hp. Kawasaki engine, 3 year warranty. $2,999 Call Alvie 813-759-8722 RUBBER MULCH All colors, buy 10 bags, get 1 FREE! $8.99 a bag. Call Ted 813-752-3378
info@inthefieldmagazine.com REAL ESTATE FOR SALE Gallagher Rd. 46 acres with 3", 6", and 8" wells. 4 and 6 inch main lines throughout property. Will divide. $13,500 acre. Call Kilgore Real Estate. Leland Byrd 813-689-5881 FOR SALE McIntosh Rd. near MLK Blvd. 58 acres with 4", 6", and 8" wells. Main lines throughout property. Will divide and priced to sell with development potential. Call Kilgore Real Estate. Leland Byrd 813-689-5881 4 ACRES FOR LEASE Livestock or farming located south Plant City, Neismith and Jackson King. Call 813-210-6816 for details. FOR SALE – 45 ACRES VACANT LAND (Pasco County) 45 acres are comprised of gently rolling hills with big trees & solid ground. A great setting for residential development. To the east of the property is a 60 acre parcel (Lake Gilbert) that adds significant aesthetic value to the 45 acres. Zoning: AR (Agricultural-Rural) Call Heidi Cecil for more information 863-899-9620 FOR LEASE 24 Acre Farm 5" Well Gulf City & Willis Road. Ruskin FL. Call or email Lee@leepallardyinc.com 813-355-6274 FOR SALE 50 acres farmland $275,000 Greenbelt in place. 6” Permitted well @175,000 GPD & 3 other wells irrigation in place. Near country road #579 and Safford road. Call 813-662-2744. 2.66 ACRE NURSERY FOR SALE OR LEASE N. Lakeland with 1,000 sq ft frame house, 2 sheds, irrigation throughout. Call Bruce 863-698-0019 FOR LEASE 15 acre for hay. State Road 70 & Vernon Road. Manatee County. Call or email Lee@leepallardyinc.com 813-355-6274 JANE BAER REALTY Looking for that mountain getaway home? We have what you are looking for. Check out our website at www.janebaerrealty.com or call us toll free 800-820-7829. We are located in Blairsville GA, North Georgia Mountains!
SERVICES CALLER ON HOLD A low cost service that enables you to communicate important information about your business to customers while they are on hold. No monthly payments or annual payments. Call today and ask for Al 813-763-2220
PRODUCE
FRESH PRODUCE Forbes Road Produce. Open KUBOTA L345 TRACTOR everyday from 7:30am - 8pm. Forbes Rd. & I-4 @ exit 34hp, 2wd. $4,250 Call Alvie (813)759-8722 17. Come out and see us! 100 INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2013
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