Agrimag April 2017 by AgriMag Press

Down to Earth in Florida

AgriMag Formerly: The Ag Mag

Get Ready for U-Pick Berries Black and Blue All Over The Woman Who Brought Us Blueberries Blueberries Come to Florida Growing Berries in Florida Berry Good Recipes

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Volume II, Issue 2, April April 2017 2017 | 1

God Made a Farmer

“And on the 8th day, God looked down on his planned paradise and said, “I need a caretaker.” So God made a farmer. God said, “I need somebody willing to get up before dawn, milk cows, work all day in the fields, milk cows again, eat supper and then go to town and stay past midnight at a meeting of the school board.” So God made a farmer. “I need somebody with arms strong enough to rustle a calf and yet gentle enough to deliver his own grandchild. Somebody to call hogs, tame cantankerous machinery, come home hungry, have to wait lunch until his wife’s done feeding visiting ladies and tell the ladies to be sure and come back real soon -- and mean it.” So God made a farmer. God said, “I need somebody willing to sit up all night with a newborn colt. And watch it die. Then dry his eyes and say, ‘Maybe next year.’ I need somebody who can shape an ax handle from a persimmon sprout, shoe a horse with a hunk of car tire, who can make harness out of haywire, feed sacks and shoe scraps. And who, planting time and harvest season, will finish his forty-hour week by Tuesday noon, then, pain’n from ‘tractor back,’ put in another seventy-two hours.” So God made a farmer. God had to have somebody willing to ride the ruts at double speed to get the hay in ahead of the rain clouds and yet stop in mid-field and race to help when he sees the first smoke from a neighbor’s place. So God made a farmer. God said, “I need somebody strong enough to clear trees and heave bails, yet gentle enough to tame lambs and wean pigs and tend the pink-combed pullets, who will stop his mower for an hour to splint the broken leg of a meadow lark. It had to be somebody who’d plow deep and straight and not cut corners. Somebody to seed, weed, feed, breed and rake and disc and plow and plant and tie the fleece and strain the milk and replenish the self-feeder and finish a hard week’s work with a five-mile drive to church. “Somebody who’d bale a family together with the soft strong bonds of sharing, who would laugh and then sigh, and then reply, with smiling eyes, when his son says he wants to spend his life ‘doing what dad does.’” So God made a farmer.”

Paul Harvey 2

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From the Publisher

AgriMag Volume II, Issue 2 ISSN 2471-3007

Publisher Jeri Baldwin Jeri@AgriMag.Press 352-209-3180

Paul Harvey wrote “So God Made A Farmer” in 1978. Farmers then comprised a significant segment of the US population. Readers nodded in agreement and appreciated Mr. Harvey’s words extolling farmers. His words were akin to singing to the choir; most readers had familial, community, civic, and economic bonds with farmers. Thirty-nine years later the bonds to farmers have stretched, frayed, even broken. The population of people living on farms and growing food for themselves, and others, diminishes each year. We at AgriMag offer these aged, but cogent words to remind us that the qualities that made a farmer nearly 40 years ago are still necessary to make a farmer today. In addition, our ancestors never knew about other, often crippling, issues that face farmers now.

Editors Jeri Baldwin 325-209-3180 Marnie Hutcheson 352-207-6520 Contributors William K. Crispin Jan Cross Cubbage David Goodman Laura McCormick Melody Murphy Design + Production Marnie Hutcheson Marnie@AgriMag.Press Amy Garone Ad Sales Ursula Ceballos Ursula@AgriMag.Press Distribution Terri Silvola-Finch Founder Carolyn Blakeslee

Farmers then, Farmers now. The solid, incontestable given which has never altered is the human need to eat. Let us now praise farmers and acknowledge their crucial role in our lives. Farmers are vital to us.

Mr. Harvey’s style certainly changed through the years. Our absolute dependence on farmers has not. Not ever. Shall we read Mr. Harvey’s outdated style, but absorb his message?

Websites http://AgriMag.Press http://Facebook.com/ AgriMagPress

And thank a farmer? WalkLightlyOnMotherEarth,

Jeri Baldwin April 2017

Native Southern Trailing Blackberries, Rubus trivialis Photo by Marnie Hutcheson 4

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Contents 3 | From The Publisher

6 | Sowing Miracles by Jeri Baldwin 8

| Get Ready for U-Pick Berries

10 | Black and Blue All Over by Melody Murphy 12 | Spotlight on “Farm to Fable” by William K. Crispin, Attorney At Law 14 | The Woman Who Brought Us Blueberries by Jan Cross Cubbage 16 | Florida Summer Berries 18 | Blueberries Come to Florida by Marnie Hutcheson 20 | 22 | 24 | 27 |

Growing Berries in Florida by David the Good Berry Good Recipes Agri News CALENDAR OF EVENTS

30 | FARMING WONDERS OF THE WORLD

April 2017

Sowing Miracles by Jeri Baldwin

Avalanche! The onslaught starts before the end of the year and continues relentlessly for months. The glossy, vivid pages pour from the mail receptacle in waves of promises. They urge, “Read about our newest discovery, one designed to defeat blight and insects.” The words promise perfection: perfect shape, perfect color, and enhanced, perfect taste to delight the palate. Seed catalogs announce spring more certainly than even the calendar. Since most gardeners claim Spring as the season “most likely to grow,” seed sellers make certain to bring their offerings to the grower’s attention as that season approaches.

Seed size is irrelevant to the size of the two major controversies surrounding seeds which erupted two times in United States. The first controversy raged early in the 1860s when private businesses battled with the United States Government. For years the fledgling Department of Agriculture (USDA) donated a variety of seeds to anyone who asked for them, reaching 1.1 billion packets of seeds donated in 1897. During that same interval, the U.S. Congress passed legislation which directed the USDA to collect, propagate, archive, and distribute seeds for citizens’ benefit, and posterity. Private businesses protested that the Government program curtailed their efforts to build businesses that sell seeds. Historians report that no other natural resource (including timber, minerals, and marine) ever moved from public to private holdings with so little oversight and restrictions, as seeds. The result: a few owners acquired the majority of seeds.

It’s no wonder that dozens and dozens of catalogs flood the postal system. With 117,000 plus seed possibilities, hundreds of words and illustrations are needed to carry the message to the world’s gardeners. In a lovely irony, all those thoughts, effort, paper, words, research, and writing are The second battle over seeds began in 1994 when strive to persuade folks to buy a product which Genetically Modified Seeds (GMO) entered the secures flecks of matter often no larger than the hair market. The ensuing furor has gathered strength, on a flea’s chin.

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reached around the globe, and shows no signs of closure in the argument between farmers who prefer open pollinated seeds and the chemical manufacturers who pursue numerous paths to force GMO seed purchases to the exclusion of every other available seed.

This sowing miracle can be repeated as often as seed is engaged with soil, water, warmth, and air. The sower is free to sow any seed they choose and trust the result. No one has ever planted a tomato in their furrows, and harvested broccoli from that seed.

Open pollinated seeds can be saved from year to year by careful farmers, thus they bear no cost for their seeds. GMO enterprises intend to force everyone to rely on GMO seeds, which cannot be saved; instead they must be purchased every year.

Seeds always know what they are and will become.

Colorful, often wrinkled seeds of all sizes possess the same miraculous quality inside their seed wall. Those qualities enable all seeds which receive the proper amount of rich soil, water, sunlight, and air to produce through an amazing procedure. The seed coat splits, a small cotyledon stretches toward the sunlight, a seedling forms. When the correct number of days passes, the seedling will bud, blossom, and fruit into the product it inherited in its genetics.

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Researchers have toyed with duplicating seeds, but with little success. The key to seed growing lies embedded deep within the seed; seeds respond to care and nurture, but do not share. Their recipe is a closely guarded family secret. Anyone can sow miracles by respecting the process. Possibilities abound in all seasons of each year. Seeds placed in optimum conditions grow corn, onions, squash, basil, parsley, blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries in Spring gardens. Gardeners harvest what they plant, and miracles flourish in the land.

Learn the secrets in this book...

“If I had had this book 10 years ago, I'd have saved a lot of frustration and wasted energy.”

Formerly: The Ag Mag

“If you've had trouble growing anything edible in Florida, or if you are new to Florida gardening, this is a must read.”

Get Ready for U-Pick Berries Black and Blue All Over The Woman Who Brought Us Blueberries Blueberries Come to Florida Growing Berries in Florida

“This book gives hope to us, the ‘purple thumb’ people, that we can have a successful garden in Florida.”

Berry Good Recipes

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Volume II, Issue 2, April April 2017 2017 | 1

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Florida garden forever! From expert gardening author David The Good comes a remarkable new book that gives you the key to jaw-dropping success in your garden:

Totally Crazy Easy Florida Gardening Now on Amazon in Kindle and paperback versions

April 2017

Get Ready for U-Pick Berries U-pick crops in Florida include blueberries, strawberries, grapes, peaches, citrus, sweet corn, apples, hard pears, garden vegetables, and tomatoes. There are also opportunities to pick unusual crops like mulberrys, persimmons, chestnuts, and avocados.

First, find a U-Pick farm FreshfromFlorida and PickYourOwn.com websites both have

U-Pick listings for Florida. See the links below for their URLs. FreshfromFlorida gives you a locator map (shown below). The list is not complete, but there are just under 100 U-Pick farms on it. Fill in the county, city, or zip where you want to pick and you will get a list of the U-Pick Farms in that area.

Second, plan your adventure

Call the farm(s) directly to confirm availability, and days and hours of operation. Dress comfortably, bring a hat, sunscreen, insect repellent, and wear sturdy shoes to protect your feet. Bring your own water and containers for picking and taking your harvest home.

Fresh from Florida U-Pick Farms Map and Locator http://www.freshfromflorida.com/Divisions-Offices/Marketing-and-Development/Consumer-Resources/Buy-Fresh-From-Florida/U-Pick-Farms Florida Crops Seasonal Availability / Typical Harvest Times http://www.freshfromflorida.com/Divisions-Offices/Marketing-and-Development/Consumer-Resources/Buy-Fresh-From-Florida/Crops-in-Season Another U-Pick Directory: http://www.pickyourown.org/FL.htm

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Third, do’s, don’t’s, and howto’s for berry picking Blackberries, Rasberries and MulberrieS ...are all very “tender.” Do cover your arms and hands to protect from thorn scratches when picking blackberries and raspberries. I wear long sleeves covered by an old pair of long sox with the toes cut out. You should also wear eye protection. Don’t pack the berries in huge containers or they will be crushed and turn to mush. Don’t get them wet after you pick them unless you plan to dry them immediately. If they stay wet for any length of time, they will weep their juice and again, you get mush. Don’t stop picking because you have “all you can eat” right now. This goes for blueberries too. These berries freeze very well and will give you a year long supply of antioxidant rich joy if you freeze them. See “How To Freeze Berries” on page 24.

Don’t: pluck blueberries Plucking one berry can send other ripe berries flying in all directions to land on the ground and be wasted.

Do: ‘roll’ blueberries Howto: roll blueberries • Hold the blueberry cluster in your fingers with your palm up and your thumb on top. • Use your thumb to gently roll the ripe berries off their stems and into your palm. Leave the green berries to ripen for the next pickers. • Rolling berries is much faster than “picking” and few berries are wasted on the ground. Also, it leaves your other hand free to hold your bucket.

Do: Pluck blackberries and raspberries from their

crown one at a time. When they

are ripe, they just fall into your fingers, so be gentle.

Ripe mulberries should be picked with the stalk still attached. Cover Photo: Rabbiteye Blueberries Photo by Joan and David Buchanan taken at The Wagon U-Pick Blueberry Farm

14201 SW 16th Place, Ocala, Florida 34481 Open Thursday to Saturday 7 a.m. to Noon from Memorial Day, May 31, until June 30. Closed Sunday through Wednesday. Organically grown. $3.00 per lb. Call: 352-489-1441

April 2017

Black and Blue All Over by Melody Murphy

I may not grow blackberries or blueberries, but they are a component of some of my fondest memories, and I can certainly put them to good use in a variety of ways. Spring is here and summer is coming and blackberries and blueberries are in ripe abundance. There are about a hundred delicious things you can do with them, in dishes both sweet and savory. So avail yourself of fresh produce in season and get creative. I like to cook, and I cook creatively. My philosophy is that if you know which flavors pair well and are willing to experiment, you will more often than not be rewarded. Cookbooks can help you iron out the details if you’re uncertain. Just start with an inspiration and work from there. Before we talk about cooking, let’s do “nostalgia.” Blueberries must have been a trendy fruit in the ‘80s, because I remember lots of popular blueberry items in my childhood. I particularly loved blueberry Pop-Tarts, blueberry Toaster Strudels, blueberry waffles, and of course, Boo-Berry cereal at Halloween. I also had a wonderfully fragrant blueberry-scented marker in the loveliest shade of light blue, and the doll I thought smelled the most heavenly out of my

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Strawberry Shortcake collection was Blueberry Muffin. Speaking of muffins, is there a more perfect, iconic muffin than blueberry? It’s the same thing with blueberry pancakes. Some pairings are just perfect. My aunt and uncle in Alabama have blueberry bushes in their back yard. I would help my uncle pick blueberries in the summers, and my aunt would make muffins with them – the best blueberry muffins I have ever had. They were delicious with cinnamon butter. I also have fond memories of blackberries. Another aunt and uncle lived in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, and I remember family walks through summer-green woods, ascending gravel roads lined with blackberry bushes.

The summer I turned 14, when the wooded property we built our house on just south of Ocala was being cleared, we found blackberry brambles growing all over it. My two friends who lived across the street and I picked all the blackberries we could find, and their mother made a cobbler for our families to share. I remember how no matter how much sugar she added, those berries would not sweeten to a reasonable degree. Blackberries are tricky like that. We had the cobbler for dessert that evening; warm from the oven and with vanilla ice cream, it was pretty good, but that is still the most stubbornly tart blackberry cobbler I have ever encountered. But we were all so proud of ourselves for this cobbler concocted from scratch with our own hand-picked wild produce that we didn’t mind. That whole family is all about berry-picking. They love nothing more than a U-Pick blueberry farm, and over the years our families have been to numerous blueberry festivals together throughout central Florida. As I’ve said before, we Southerners love a produce festival. Several years ago, two other friends and I had a blueberry festival all our own. One of them made her amazing blueberry-lemon cake with lemon glaze (blueberries + lemon = one of the best flavor combinations ever), while I got creative with the color scheme and made a cheeseball with cream cheese, goat cheese, bleu cheese, fresh blueberries, and blueberry jam. Served, naturally, with blue corn tortilla chips. It sounds odd, but it was delicious. We had blueberry beer and blueberry wine, and who knows what else. We can’t remember it all. I just remember that we enjoyed an enchanting blueberry feast in the blue twilight of late springtime. Blueberries pair well with a variety of flavors. One of my favorite breakfasts is blueberry cornbread, toasted with butter,

drizzled with lemon honey, and sprinkled with lavender salt. Sounds strange, but it’s delightful. Almost any cereal is greatly improved by the addition of ripe peaches and blueberries on a summer morning. I also am not a great fan of white chocolate, but the delicate flavors of white chocolate infused with blueberry are lovely together. Blackberries, being more tart and astringent, are a little more versatile, working well in either sweet or savory dishes. Most Southerners know how good biscuits and blackberry jam are, and I

am extremely fond of a fried pie with blackberry and cream cheese filling. Cocoa powder and bits of dark chocolate add an intriguing element to a blackberry cobbler. And anytime you can combine blackberries and plums or raspberries, it’s a winning combination. On the savory side, I once made an unusually good late-summer salad of fresh spinach, blackberries, sliced pears, toasted pecans, and crumbled goat cheese, in a blackberry-raspberry vinaigrette. Pork also pairs well with blackberries – cook down some blackberry jam with red wine or ruby port, black peppercorns, some basil or sage, and you have a terrific sauce for a tenderloin. And of course, blackberries and blueberries are an ideal pair however you wish to combine them. Rarely would anyone choose to be “black and blue all over” – but when berries are in season, it’s in perfect taste. Melody Murphy is a local writer who enjoys creative cooking.

April 2017

Spotlight on “Farm to Fable” by William K. Crispin, Attorney At Law Last month I presented commentary and information about some of the area’s farmers markets. I also discussed what constitutes a legitimate farmers market; one whose vendors are the farmers who produce what they sell. I also discussed the national movement of communities supporting local agricultural operations or “CSA’s”, Community Supported Agriculture. With these topics in mind and following publisher Jeri Baldwin’s suggestion I read reporter Laura Reiley’s exceptional investigative report published in the Tampa Bay Times titled “Farm to Fable”. Reiley’s reporting was printed in a series of seven parts beginning on April 13 last year and written with insight from her seasoned experience as the Times’ food critic. Locally produced fruits, vegetables, eggs and meat are a result of diligent, hard work and sellers demand a premium price for them in the market based on their superior quality. Reiley’s reporting reveals the extent that some restaurants and even

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market vendors exploit this well-earned reputation of locally produced food by misrepresenting their offerings as being local and Florida grown when in fact they are not. She documents the dishonesty and cover-up in restaurants and markets who claim the food they sell is food they have grown or purchased from those who do. Although the series’ geographic focus is the Tampa Bay metropolitan area it has application throughout the country wherever food is sold and served. The paper’s multipart investigation carries the rare distinction of achieving national attention and substantive response from the state of Florida in the form of stepped up investigations by the regulatory oversight of the Florida Department of Business & Professional regulation. Additionally, the Attorney General has allocated resources for prompt investigation of Florida restaurants and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services in an effort to tighten the structure of its Fresh From Florida marketing

program. Reiley’s series is divided into the following parts as excerpted from the paper: • PART 1: At Tampa Bay farmto-table restaurants, you’re being fed fiction • PART 2: Tampa Bay farmers markets are lacking in just one thing: local farmers • PART 3: Spot the fables on these 10 Tampa Bay menus • PART 4: How to tell if your ‘local’ food is actually local • PART 5: What does it mean when a fast food or chain restaurant tells you it’s ‘local’? • PART 6: Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam ponders curbing food misrepresentation • PART 7: Bondi’s office investigating restaurant claims, state stepping up inspections Part 4 is an informative piece that provides the reader with excellent resources to learn what to look for and what questions to ask to help determine the true nature of the food being sold to them. One notable tool is the University of Florida’s IFAS free downloadable (phone) application called “Florida Fresh.” This application provides a wealth of information on Florida grown produce, including seasonal availability. This real time information can assist you in deciding whether certain items being sold are truly locally fresh grown while you are considering them at a market or on a menu. In the event you come across food items that are not true to their advertisement or representation, what options do you

have to address suspected “food fraud”? It is helpful to know that the law in Florida protects its citizens from food misrepresentations. The Florida Food Safety Act, Fla. Stat. §500.01, (FSSA) purpose is to: Safeguard the public health and promote the public welfare by protecting the consuming public from injury by product use and the purchasing public from injury by merchandising deceit, flowing from intrastate commerce in food. (See Fla. Stat. §500.02(1)) The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) is charged with the administration and enforcement of this chapter in order to prevent fraud, harm, adulteration, misbranding, or false advertising in the preparation, manufacture, or sale of articles of food. It is further charged to enforce the provisions of this chapter relating to the production, manufacture, transportation, and sale of food, as well as articles entering into, and intended for use as ingredients in the preparation of, food. (See Fla. Stat. §500.032(1)) FDACS has significant disciplinary tools to enforce the Florida’s Food Safety Act set forth at §500.121,these include a fine up to $10,000, testing nutrient claims labeled on food sold and even the immediate closure of a food establishment if it fails to comply with the FFSA. There is also another mechanism through which the public

can voice concerns such as those raised in Laura Reiley’s report. The FSSA created the Florida Food Safety and Food Defense Advisory Council for the purpose of serving as a forum for presenting, investigating, and evaluating issues of current importance to the assurance of a safe and secure food supply to the citizens of Florida. (§500.033)

ing findings and recommendations in the area of food safety and food defense.

Members of The Florida Food Safety and Food Defense Advisory Council consists of the following or its designee: the Commissioner of Agriculture; the State Surgeon General; the Secretary of Business and Professional Regulation; also, the person responsible for domestic security with the Department of Law Enforcement; members representing the production, processing, distribution, and sale of foods; consumers or members of citizens groups; representatives of food industry groups; scientists or other experts in aspects of food safety from state universities; representatives from local, state, and federal agencies that are charged with responsibilities for food safety or food defense; the chairs of the Agriculture Committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives or their designees; and the chairs of the committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives with jurisdictional oversight of home defense issues or their designees. The Commissioner of Agriculture shall appoint the remaining members. The council shall make periodic reports to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services concern-

This Advisory Council actually meets and did so recently in Tallahassee on February 22. For a list of Council members go to: http://www.freshfromflorida.com/ Divisions-Offices/Food-Safety/ Food-Safety-and-Food-DefenseAdvisory-Council and let your matters of interest and concern be heard.

§500.33 also allows the council to receive for review, information exempt from Florida’s Sunshine Law when considering the development of appropriate advice or recommendations on food safety or food defense issues.

William K. Crispin Afarmersfriend.com Additional Resources Florida Food Safety Act: http://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/ Statutes/2013/Chapter500 For a more detailed account of the rules the Florida Food Safety Act: https://www.flrules. org/gateway/chapterhome. asp?chapter=5k-4

April 2017

The Woman Who Brought Us Blueberries by Jan Cross Cubbage

Elizabeth Coleman White “Huckleberries” we called them as kids roving the woods and wild fields of our neighborhood in northwest New Jersey. I recall picking ripe wild blueberries from thick bushes on a July afternoon and happily plunking the berries into my little metal bucket. Suddenly I faced a startled white tail buck who leaped from his afternoon nap in the blueberry bushes and faced me. The big animal snorted and sprayed flecks of deer snot on my face. I don’t know whose eyes bugged out further, mine or his. After locking eyes for what seemed like forever, the buck wheeled and boinked across the wild field. Now, when I eat my favorite berry, blueberries, I remember the buck. Robust, juicy, sweet-tart beautiful blueberry, I Love You. Other folk crave blueberries as well since last year a reported 850 million dollars worth of blueberries were cultivated and sold world-wide. The store or farm market blueberries are a hybrid derived from wild types

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of American native “huckleberries,” now commonly called blueberries. We thank Elizabeth Coleman White, a New Jersey woman, for her persistence in breeding, cultivating, and marketing a consistently high quality blueberry. Elizabeth Coleman White and her father, the largest cranberry grower in New Jersey, wanted to develop a second crop to keep their laborers at work in the slack season. They also wanted to reduce the risk of failed cranberries on their family’s farm. The New Jersey Pine Barrens had abundant crops of wild huckleberries. The Barrens, with sandy, high acid soil and wet boggy pine lands, unsuitable for farming other than cranberries and native huckleberries. The wild Huckleberries produced inconsistently with one bush growing small berries, another bush tart berries, and a third bush yielding mealy berries; only a few succeeded in growing top quality berries. The second and more serious problem was that neither farmers nor agronomists had succeeded in propagating blueberries for cultivation.

In 1910 Miss White read “Experiments in Blueberry Culture,” written by USDA botanist Frederick Coville. Clearly, Coville had successfully rooted blueberry cuttings. Miss White convinced her father to experiment with breeding wild blueberry varieties. With her father’s go ahead, Miss White went into action in 1911. She first offered the USDA use of some land for blueberry experiments, then convinced Mr. Coville that he could do better work at Whitesbog than Washington. Thus began an 18 year cooperation that eventually introduced the first commercial High Bush Blueberry. The research partners grew hundreds of plants from cuttings and seed in their test fields. Miss White kept careful records on all test bushes, including natural and artificial propagation techniques and their rate of growth. Their research persuaded them that they needed perfect parents to grow “perfect blueberries.” Miss White asked local Huckleberry pickers who gathered berries to earn money, to also identify bushes thought to be the best candidates for perfect parents. Woodsmen walked several thousand acres of uninhab-

ited pine woods in search of the best blueberry producing bushes. The pickers earned $1.00 for delivering sample berries and a half day’s pay for guiding Miss White to gather the bushes that had been identified. She named successful varieties after their finders. In 1916, after 16 years of selection and cultivation, the first high bush blueberry berries with vigor, great flavor, largeberry size and firm pulp were sold to the public. Miss White sold 600 quarts of blueberries for $114.82. Agronomists flocked to White’s Bog Farm to observe Miss White’s results. Shortly, a research center, production and

packing buildings, a company store, visitor’s center, and worker’s homes rose on the farm. The “Queen of Blueberries” also offered blueberries packed in square boxes covered with see through cellophane, a novel idea for the time. In my own yard, I wait for my blueberry bushes to ripen to their waxy blue luster. Just to remind myself of Elizabeth Coleman White’s work I have planted a Florida native variety “Vaccinium darrowii,” or scrub blueberry or evergreen blueberry. I hear that big buck snort every time I pluck berries from its dense, shiny branches.

Coleman White in Brooklyn Botanic Garden Record, Plants & Gardens Magazine Spring 1947 online at: http://elizabethcwhite. blogspot.com/2013/02/1947cultivated-blueberries.html Other related links: http://blueberriesfromflorida. com/happy-100th-birthdayblueberry/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Elizabeth_Coleman_White

You can read “Cultivated Blueberries”, written by Elizabeth

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April 2017

Florida Summer Berries

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How many can you name? Find answers on page 29

April 2017

ies Come to Florida r r e b e u l B By Marnie Hutcheson Blueberries have been growing in North America for more than 13,000 years. Todaysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; blueberries are much larger than their wild ancestors, packed with nutrients and antioxidants. But unlike our foraging ancestors, we have easy access to them in grocery stores for most of the year. Today, there are five major varieties of blueberry grown in the United States: Northern Highbush, Lowbush, Southern Highbush, Rabbiteye and Halfhigh. Of these, the two most important varieties in Florida are the Rabbiteye and the Southern Highbush. The Northern Highbush blueberry was the first commercial variety of Blueberry in the world. It was introduced in 1916 by its breeder, Elizabeth Coleman White after nearly 20 years of selectively cross breeding local wild blueberries in New Jersey. Today, the Northern Highbush and its cultivars (cultured variety of a plant), are the most common type of blueberries. They are grown throughout the world. See Jan Cubbageâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s article The Woman Who Brought

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Us Blueberries on page 14. Starting in 1925, wild Florida blueberries were cultivated in Georgia in order to compete with the Northern Highbush blueberries from New Jersey. The Rabbiteye blueberries (Vaccinium virgatum) were developed at the University of Georgia -- Tifton. The research to establish the Rabbiteye blueberry started in 1944, with the first cultivar, Tifblue, being released in 1955. Rabbiteye grow 6-10 feet high and produce fruit from late May through July.

Southern Highbush blueberries are hybrids of Vaccinium corymbosum and a Florida native, Vaccinium darrowii. They were developed at the University of Florida by Dr. Sherman and Professor Ralph Sharpe.

First released in 1976, Southern Highbush blueberries can grow between 6-8 feet high and are especially well suited to the mild winters and hot summers in the southern states. By the mid 1980s, Florida boasted large plantings of early

season Rabiteyes and Southern Highbush blueberries. Blueberry farming expanded rapidly in the 1990s due to the increasing demand for blueberries across the country. In 2007 Florida blueberry acreage and production increased by 73 percent and 132 percent in 2012. This expansion continues today. The main advantage of the Southern Highbush is that they produce fruit early, April - May, before other regions begin harvesting. This early harvest has given Florida growers a market window all to themselves. However, the most recent Southern Highbush cultivars are now being introduced and grown in areas of the Southeast, the Sunbelt and California. Over the past 10 years Florida growers have been replacing older Rabbiteye cultivars with new Southern Highbush Cultivars. This transition has its advantages and its challenges. Planting Highbush along with Rabbiteye requires additional management because the two varieties have significantly dif-

ferent site requirements. Different cultivars need different amounts of soil acidity. There are large variations in plant yield, berry size, and in “when” they bloom and fruit. Some cultivars need pollination while others are self-pollinating. The early Highbush cultivars must be protected from late frosts; this is usually accomplished by an overhead sprinkler system. Since Rabbiteye blueberries bloom later, there is less risk of loosing an entire crop to a late frost. But it is hard to find pickers or markets in Florida in late June. Having both varieties allows the growers to have a longer harvesting season, 3 months, where they can take advantage of both the early national April- May market and the local May- June farm and U-Pick markets. In mid-season it is possible to pick both Rabbiteye and Highbush blueberries.—It’s a wonderful time for U-Pickers! Marnie Hutcheson

My starting point for this article is ‘The Wagon U-Pick Blueberry Farm,’ one of the oldest blueberry farms in Marion County Florida. Owned and operated by Joan Buchanan for the past 14 years, The Wagon has been in continuous operation since 1980. It is situated North of Highway 40 between Ocala and Dunnellon, in Marion County Florida. The Wagon’s original selection of Rabbiteye cultivars were chosen to provide a continuous harvest from early May until July. In 1985, The Wagon became one the first Florida

blueberry farms to offer U-Pick blueberries. Currently The Wagon supports a mix of mature Rabbit eye cultivars: Climax, Woodard and Bluegem (May - June) And the Highbush cultivar: Misty, (April-May} I want to thank Joan Buchanan for sharing her photos and her experiences as a grower and for giving me the inspiration to learn about blueberry history for this article.

Excellent article on all varieties / sub varieties https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/blueberries/ varieties-of-blueberry.htm History of Georgia Blueberries http://www.georgiablueberries.org/general-info/history History of Florida Blueberries http://blueberriesfromflorida.com/history-of-florida-blueberries/ Interested in growing blueberries of your own? Half-high blueberries are a cross between northern Highbush and Lowbush berries and will tolerate temperatures of 35-45 degrees F. (1 to 7 C.). A medium sized blueberry, the plants grow 3-4 feet tall, do well growing in containers and are readily available.

April 2017

Florida Berry Growing by David the Good Most Florida gardeners love the idea of growing raspberries or blackberries in their backyard. However, the results are often less than spectacular. I have grown a range of raspberries and blackberries, so want to share what I know, plus give you a truly easy berry-growing option. Growing Raspberries in Florida The only raspberry that does really Well in Florida is the “Mysore,” a black raspberry from the tropics, not the red ones you’ll find up north. The flavor of the ones in our gardens have been

Mysore Raspberries

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somewhat watery and bland, but that’s supposedly atypical for the species. My guess is that my perennial garden bed where they’re planted gets too much water and nutrition so the flavor is a bit diluted.

ginal. I only got one fruit from mine in three years, then it died. Raspberries in general don’t like the heat in Florida, and I also believe the winters aren’t cold enough to stimulate decent production.

The nasty thing about Mysore raspberries are their incredible spines. This cane fruit is vicious and even bears spines on the leaves themselves.

The final variety of raspberry you’ll sometimes see in Florida is the Southern selection “Caroline.” This variety produced more fruit for me than Dorman Red, but I only had them growing in pots in my plant nursery. It needs more testing to see if it’ll be worth growing here longterm.

I’ve enjoyed growing Mysore raspberries ever since my friend Andiblessed me with a little one in a pot a few years ago. It grew into a monster plant and bears bunches of berries year after year. It also rooted into the ground outside of its bed here and there. Wherever the canes get a little buried, they’ll start a new plant. I’ve been able to share quite a few thanks to their habit. Besides Mysore, there’s another raspberry called “Dorman Red” that’s sometimes recommended for Florida, but it’s very mar-

I believe both Dorman Red and Caroline appreciate some shade. Both are very cold-hardy. Mysore doesn’t seem to mind the heat, though it may freeze during a cold snap that drops into the low 20s.

Growing Blackberries in Florida There is an excellent series of blackberries that was developed

they’re definitely a lot smaller than the commercial varieties.

Oklawaha Blackberry by the University of Arkansas blackberry breeding program in recent decades. I’ve grown quite a few of them. I grew Apache in Tennessee and Natchez, Ouachita, Kiowa and Arapaho in Florida. More and more blackberry Upick farms have bloomed across North Florida, It seems that our conditions support most of the University of Arkansas releases.

I’ve noticed bitterness with a lot of blackberries, even cultivated ones. I believe it may be a combination of harsh conditions, low water and so-so soil. Another problem is picking before they’re completely ripe. My children do that all the time. Blackberries like lots of sun, so those growing in the shade fail to fruit (for me). The ones along my driveway in full sun do a lot better.

pH and Cane Fruit A slightly acid soil (5.5-6.5) is good for blackberries and raspberries. Mine thrive on compost and coffee grounds. They also appreciate a good mulching plus a quarter cup of Epsom Salts in the spring.

I didn’t have any problems with the blackberries growing in my food forest, though were not all that productive. First, I didn’t care for them and they like more water in the spring than our rains provide. If you’re going to grow blackberries in Florida, it’s important to give them extra water and feed early when it’s dry, otherwise they don’t set many fruit. If you water and feed well in the spring, you’ll reap plenty of blackberries.

Err on the side of lots of organic matter, rather than too little. If your pH is a little high, work in some sulphur and mulch with pine debris, whether needles, mulch chips or just forest duff. I use pelletized sulphur on my berries and it keeps them happy - a bag will last a long time as you only need a handful per plant.

I’ve also found decent blackberries growing in the wild. Taste every plant you find and if you find a great one, take cuttings or a rooted shoot and plant it at home. They’ll be perfectly suited to your area already, though

Now I must confess: I mostly relegated blackberries and raspberries to the novelty side of my gardening plans after discovering the incredible productivity of mulberries.

An Easier Option

White Mullberry

Mulberries taste like a seedless and perfectly sweet blackberry. One mulberry tree produces gallons of fruit with less work, less care and less water than any cane fruit. They also produce for years, don’t need weeding or mulching, and will bear just a year or two after planting. If there’s one berry that is ideally suited to Florida, it’s the mulberry. Good luck with your berry growing - may you grow plenty of delicious fruit.

David The Good is a Florida native and the author of five books including Totally Crazy Easy Florida Gardening and the ground breaking new release Push the Zone: The Good Guide to Growing Tropical Plants Beyond the Tropics. Find his daily gardening posts online at TheSurvivalGardener.com and be sure to follow his popular YouTube channel at https://www. youtube.com/user/davidthegood

April 2017

Recipes Chocolate-Rasberry Truffles Ursula Ceballos

1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk ½ cup Raspberry Liqueur 2 Tbsp. Butter 2 Tbsp. Raspberry Jam 2 – 12 oz. pkgs. Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips ½ cup Confectioner’s Sugar • Combine first 4 ingredients in a large microwave bowl; microwave on high power for 3 minutes. • Stir in chocolate morsels until smooth. Cover and chill for 1 hour. • Shape mixture by tablespoons into balls. Then roll in confectioner’s sugar.

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BlueBerry Cloud Pie Jan Cross Cubbage

1 pie crust 1 lb. washed and dried fresh blueberries 3 egg yolks 1/4 cup sugar 1 1/4 cups hot milk grated rind of 1 large lemon 4 egg whites 1/8 tsp/ cream of tartar 6 tsp. powdered sugar

• Prebake pie crust for 7 minutes at 375 degrees. • Pour blueberries into the baked pie crust shell. • Beat the 3 egg yolks with the sugar until very thick. • Next, add the hot milk, slowly beating constantly • Stir in grated lemon rind and then pour this mixture over the blueberries. • Bake at 375 for 50 minutes or until custard is set • Beat the 4 egg whites with the cream of tartar until peaks form. • Add 6 tb. powdered sugar gradually and beat egg whites again until the egg whites stand in stiff peaks • Cover the pie in the meringue and bake 10 min. until the meringue is slightly brown • Remove from oven, cool and serve.

About Nectar

Marnie Hutcheson Nectar is “a sugary fluid secreted by plants” it is also the name given to the rich thick juicy pudding that you get when you puree the pulp of fruit. Nectars from various fruits can be layered on each other for a colorful drink, or mixed together and diluted in any number of ways to create extravagantly flavorful food, “the food of the gods.” These two recipes use mixed fruit nectars as their base. Get out your blender and feel free to choose the flavors that make magic to your taste! Enjoy nectars all year long using your frozen fruit. See “How to Freeze Berries” on page 24. Store the unused nectar in the refrigerator in a clean lidded jar for up to 10 days.

Berry Lemonade Smoothie This recipe makes about 40-48 oz. of nectar, mixed about 50-50 with ice. That turns into 80-96 oz. of delicious frozen drink. Or, one 48 ounce pitcher for now, and enough nectar mix for another one later. Or, a bunch of single servings. Have ready 2 - 3 trays of ice cubes. for each pitcher of smoothie - don’t add ice till last.

Nectar

• 1 12 oz. can of frozen lemonade + 6 oz. water. (Don’t add lots of water, the ice does that) I prefer Raspberry lemonade or pink lemonade. • 1 16 oz can of peaches with syrup, (or 2-3 fresh peaches ) • For best results use 2-3 types of berry • 1/2 - 2/3 cup EACH fresh or frozen berries: Blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, loquats (seeds removed) • 1 banana Put all your fruit ingredients (no ice) in the blender and mix until smooth. Yeilds about 40-48 oz. of thick nectar. Pour the unused nectar into a lidded jar and refrigerate until the next batch.

Berry Frozen Yogurt Cup Add ice gradually. Blend, stop, and stir frequently. Repeat until you have the thickness and flavor intensity desired. Serve immediately with a large straw. Store your extra mixed smoothie in covered cups in the freezer for up to 1 day, then you can eat them with a spoon instead of a straw. Additions and substitutions • Strawberry jam for one type of berry • Pears or peaches instead of banana • If too tart, try a bit of Grenadine or stevia • If too sweet, try a squeeze of lemon, lime, or grapefruit juice

Berry Frozen Yogurt Cup 4-6 Servings (about 40 oz.) Don’t dilute! This nectar mix must be thick, as it is an “ice cream” dessert. Have ready: Sugar cone cups from the store, or sugar cookie dough pressed into and baked in muffin tins. - be creative.

Nectar

• 1 Banana • 2 cups mixed berries (your choice) • 2-3 cups Frozen Vanilla Yogurt Blend fruit and frozen yogurt until thick and creamy like soft serve ice cream. Fill your cups before it melts. Store your desert cups for up to 1 day in a covered container in the freezer. Garnish with mixed berries and serve.

April 2017

How to Freeze Berries Freezing berries is very fast and easy. Be sure to use heavy freezer bags with a double seal or heavy freezer safe tight sealing containers. And, be sure to note the type of berry and the date you froze it. Your frozen berries are usable for 6 months, if they are in good condition. It is best to wash, dry, and freeze the berries IMMEDIATELY after picking. Wet or crushed berries are not suitable for freezing as they turn to mush and freeze into a single block of ice. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t try to prepare more berries than you can process in a couple of hours, or fit in your freezer.

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I wash my berries by putting them in a large pot and letting fresh cold water run through and overflow until all the floating stuff is gone, (stems, leaves, small critters, etc.) I stir the berries gently with my hand during this process. Next I strain the berries in a colander, draining as much water as possible. Then, gently spread the berries on dry paper towels or cooling racks. Turn them every 15 minutes or so to get fast uniform drying. They should be dry inside an hour. Once dry, remove pits if necessary, and place the berries in your freezer containers. I use

freezer bags with paper plates in between each bag to make sure that fragile berries donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get crushed. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t put too much fruit in each bag. Set them flat in the freezer. Once the fruit is frozen you can pack the bags into bins or baskets in your freezer until you need them. I reuse the paper plates over and over.

Agri News Marion County Farmland Preservation Festival The 10th Annual Farmland Preservation Festival is planned for May 6th, 2017, from 10am until 3pm, and produced by Save Our Rural Acres (SORA), a local conservation group of farmers, residents, and small businesses dedicated to raising awareness of and preservation of farmlands and water. The event will be hosted by the Coon hoLlo corn maze. Annual events include a tractor parade, bluegrass, fiddle, and americana live entertainment, locally grown produce and plants, and traditional farm and cottage crafts. Coon hollo Corn Maze is located at 22480 US Highway 441, just north of McIntosh, on the west side of the highway. For more information, google Marion County Farmland Preservation Festival Food Trends and Growth Surveys show more customers today care more about where their food is coming from, who grows it, and how it is grown. The grow local/buy local movement shows signs of aging gracefully among consumers, growers, and local food brokers. Consumers also, more and more, choose alternate trends in vegetables including Brussels sprouts, beets, broccoli rabe, and Asian vegetables. Among the most popular cultivars chosen by consumers

included bitter gourd, eggplant, cluster beans, turmeric, sorrel spinach, and radish greens. The country appears to be eating healthier. Growth opportunities for farmers are increasing. 2018 Farm Bill Discussions and debate have begun in the US Congress about the 2018 Farm Bill. Reviews of the major programs are strongly advised for all interested citizens in order to equip advocates of a stronger bill with effective strategy. See NCAS: http://Info@sustainableagriculture.net Match Between Farmers and Landowners The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Transition Incentives was created in 2008 as a way to connect retiring farmers who own CRP land to beginning farmers and ranchers intending to farm sustainably. See USDA’s new report, “Pathways to Land Access.” Tractor Drivers Needed Estimates are that farmers will need to feed 9.5 billion people by 2050. Researchers estimate that food production needs to increase by 70 per cent. There has been very little planning toward training and securing skilled farmers for the increase in production. In the rush to recruit young farmers into scientific and management jobs or secure hand labor to pick crops, skilled labor is increas-

ingly hard to find. Machinery operators, welders, mechanics, truck drivers and other skilled workers are assured of excellent wages, when they can be found. Recruiting progress must be made in vocational training if farms are to meet the demands for more food in the next 30 years. From Florida Growing News, March, 2017 Reach For A Peach Need a healthy – and tasty – snack when the munchies grab you hard in the middle of the afternoon? UF/IFAS professors reported in a recent survey that consumers praise peaches from Florida as a savory snack. Florida growers are encouraged to consider expanding their reach beyond Florida’s borders, and into the national market. Florida Growing News, March, 2017 National Farmers Day The Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association has produced “The Story of Florida Agriculture: A Rich Legacy and a Bright Future.” National Farmers Day is October 12. Plan a program with your civic or social club to show the video. What better way to raise awareness and promote positive attitudes toward farmers and agriculture than by presenting the contributions of farmers to our economy, our

April 2017

Agri News cont.

Consumers must know what farmers do and why they do it. Don’t want to wait? Celebrate National Farmer’s Day every day, any day, all days.

way of life, and our health and well-being.

Florida Vegetable Growers, March, 2017

Florida Agriculture and related industries account for 1.52 million jobs in the state. Revenue adds up to $148.6 billion a year. Small farms and family farmers have been called the original environmentalists, so their contributions also include conservation as well as jobs and economics.

OPTIMISTIC CITRUS GROWERS

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Citrus growers participating in a forum early in March this year agreed that trees look much better than last year. They also reported that post bloom fruit drop (PFD) is not yet a big issue this season.

High fruit prices and good conditions for growing have contributed to the growers’ positive outlook. One change resulted after growers learned to pay educated attention to their groves and make smarter, more timely fertilizer applications to the trees. Changing to a new nutrition program which is heavy in micro nutrients brought initial, positive results as well. The growers report that they have seen a lot of sweet oranges in the beginning stages of new bloom, and think they are in good shape for this year’s crop.

Hey, Advertizers GeT Noticed! Advertize in Agrimag Call 352-209-3180 or email

Ads@agrimag.press AgriMag Distribution 15,000 copies of AgriMag are printed monthly and distributed in Alachua, Citrus, Levy, and Marion Counties, as well as The Villages and Wildwood. This magazine can be found in your neighborhood. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in feed stores, tack shops, tractor dealers, hardware stores, extension services, farm bureaus, FL Farm Credit offices and other farm-friendly banks, a few vets, UF/IFAS, high school and university agricultural departments, trailer dealers, selected restaurants, farm-oriented real estate offices, Thoroughbred associations, landscape and garden centers, nurseries, libraries, economic development offices/ chambers of commerce, wineries, farms with retail outlets, and theatres including The Hippodrome and OCT.

April 2017

Calendar of Events April 21, 9am-3pm Marion County Ag Extension Auditorium, Ocala, Invasive Exotic Species and Control Workshop. Learn about identifying and controlling cogongrass, Japanese climbing fern, Old World climbing fern, Chinese tallowtree, and exotic animals, such as feral hogs. Cost is $10 which includes lunch and materials. Register at https:// fsp-workshop042117 eventbrite. com, or call 352-671-8400 to reserve a space.

April 22, 2017 – Earth Day 47

ment Annex, corner of Morse Blvd. and CR 466, The Villages.

http://bit.ly/2fGgtbC. No Specific Deadline

Crones Cradle Conserve

1.American Heart Association Teaching Garden Grant. Open to Schools. The AHA provides the materials for planting day, garden beds, organic soil, seedlings, and plants; cooking demonstrations, and other activities. Teaching Garden Tool Kit including school garden manual, lesson plans, and more. http:// bit.ly/28Vv33Gm.

Every Wednesday Farm baskets of vegetables, jams, jellies, etc. delivered to the Ocala Public Library every Wednesday at 2:30pm. $25-50. Reserve in advance. Crones’ Cradle Conserve, Citra. 352-595-3377, catcrone@ aol.com Every Saturday and Sunday Farmstead Weekend Visit a working vegetable and herb farm; walks, hands on, story times, fresh produce, tips on gardening and cooking. Crones’ Cradle Conserve, 352-595-3377. catcrone@aol.com

GRANTS, SCHOLARSHIPS, OTHER FUNDING

First-Come, First-Served. USDA Farmers Market Coalition; free SNAP EBT equipment program. Farmers have long been called FMC will cover the costs of the first environmentalists for the nurturing, care, and attention purchasing or renting equipment and services (set-up costs, to conservation that many have monthly service fees, wireless practice for years. fees) for up to three years. Http:// bit.ly/2e1L2TJ. A national science march on Washington is scheduled; Celebrations are planned across 192 Deadline March 31 countries, including global teachGrants and Guaranteed Loans ins. Hundreds of state and local for Renewable Improvements festivals are set. Individual and for farms and rural small busismall group acknowledgments nesses. Grants can be used to of the earth will find observations everywhere. Pay honor to improve energy efficiency or used to assist to purchase wind, the Earth – Celebrate Earth Day solar, geothermal or other reeveryday. newable energy systems, and to help farmers with energy audits Every Monday Plant Clinic and renewable energy planning. Bring your questions, plant samples, problems. 9-3 Govern-

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2. Reestablishing Quail on Florida Agricultural Lands. Financial and technical assistance. Renee

Please send your agricultural and gardening related Calendar listings to info@AgriMag.press

10th Annual Farmland Preservation Festival Saturday May 6th, 2017 9am - 3pm

To be held at Coon Hollo 22480 Highway 441 N, Micanopy, FL 32667 352-318-9258 https://sites.google.com/site/ farmlandpreservationfestival/

Collage Answers

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.

Southern Trailing Blackberries, aka Dew Berries, Rubus trivialis, Florida Native Carolina Buckthorn, aka Indian Cherry, Frangula caroliniana, Florida Native Scrub Blueberry, Darrow’s Blueberry, Vaccinium darrowii, Florida Native Chickasaw Plum, Prunus angustifolia, Florida Native Mysore Raspberry, Rubus niveus, imported from the tropics Sand Blackberry, Rubus cuneifolius, Florida Native Florida Wild Strawberry, Fragaria virginiana, very rare Florida Native Loquats, aka Japanese Plum, Eriobotrya japonica, imported from China Partridgeberry, Mitchella repens, Forida Native White Mulberry, Morus alba, imported from China (Red Mulberry Red, Morus rubra, is Native to Florida) Sweet Sensation Strawberry new cultivar from University of Florida 2016 Okalwaha Blackberry, Rubus fruticosus, bred at University of Florida released in 1964s

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April 2017

Farming Wonders of the World

Herbs and Spices The use of plants as herbs has been important to all cultures since long before history was recorded. Hundreds of tribal cultures have used wild and cultivated herbs for medicinal and food purposes for thousands of years. Herbs are mentioned in Genesis, the first book of the Bible. As civilizations developed so did knowledge about herbs -- Ancient Egyptians taught herbology in 3000 B.C. Today, with over 10,000 herbs grown worldwide, the business of producing fresh herbs for consumption has become one of the fastest growing industries in agriculture. The United States produces about 200 billion pounds of herbs and spices each year.

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April 2017

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