August2016theagmag by AgriMag Press

The Ag Mag Agriculture and gardening in north central Florida August 2016 Volume I, Issue 8

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Fly Control Agritourism Farm Finance The Art of Soil Micro-Growing Photo: Bananas. 123rf.com

Rodeo Scholarships August 2016

Crones’ Cradle Conserve Foundation

Ecological Preserve Retreat Center Natural Farm Florida Certified Stewardship Forest

Farm Store Open 9-3 7 Days a Week Farm to Fare Weekly Baskets Farm Stead Weekends Women’s First Sunday Brunch Spring Sustainability Festival Spring & Fall Natural Foods Galas Group and School Farm Tours Natural Gardening Apprenticeships Local Produce Delivered to Your Restaurant

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Celebrate the Florida Pioneer Farm Heritage Experience: Candle Dipping, Apple Peeling, Corn Husk Dolls, Laundry on Scrub Board, Ironing with Flat Irons, Rope Making, Cross Cut Sawing, Juicing, Pumping Water, Farm Chores

Rent our Certified Kitchen & Honey House 6411 NE 217th Pl. Citra, FL 32113 6.4 miles east of 301 on CR 318

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352-595-3377 catrone@aol.com FB: Crones’ Cradle Conserve Foundation cronescradleconserve.org No Pets or Smoking Cash or Check Only

Farming Wonders of the World Agricultural Rescue Dogs

rotecting Florida’s agriculture industry requires an integrated approach, including the expertise of several four-legged helpers. During the dog days of summer, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is showcasing its lesser-known staff members — rescue dogs trained to detect invasive pests and disease. “Dogs’ keen sense of smell is a crucial tool for our early detection efforts to identify invasive pests and disease that could threaten Florida’s agriculture industry,” stated Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam. Among the many tools the department employs to detect, monitor and eradicate pests and disease are six working dogs. From patrolling private parcel

facilities to distinguishing giant African land snails (GALS) from 130 other types of terrestrial snails for eradication, these dogs work every day to protect and defend Florida’s agriculture industry. Some recent noteworthy discoveries include olive fruit fly larvae, root mealybugs, GALS, invasive snails, and other unauthorized plant materials. The dogs patrol parcel facilities, post offices, airports,

and farms as needed. One dog quadrupled the number of live giant African land snails found on a property following a snail outbreak in Broward County. Another recently helped discover a scale insect species native to Africa that is potentially new to science. The $120-billion agriculture industry in Florida supports more than 2,000,000 jobs and produces approximately 300 commodities. There are 47,600 farm operations in the state, covering more than 9.5 million acres of land. Invasive species cost Florida $100,000,000 per year.

August 2016

Photo by Jeri Baldwin

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Contents

3 | FARMING WONDERS OF THE WORLD Pest-Detecting Rescue Dogs 6

Masthead + Letter from the Publisher

News

10 | Bringing the Public Back to the Farm in the 21st Century by Phillip Stokes 12 | The Dirt on Soil with Frog Song Organics by Laura McCormick 14 | Farm Finance USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service 16 | That Other Arena by Jeri Baldwin 18 |

It’s Hot! (and how to turn an area of lawn into a ready-to-plant bed) by David the Good

20 |

Flies Your barn can be a “low fly zone” by Jan Cross Cubbage

23 | AG LAW “Sustainability” and “Security” More than just buzzwords to farmers by William K. Crispin, Attorney At Law 25 | SECOND NATURE The Dog Days of Summer by Melody Murphy 27

Calendar of Events

34 | RECIPE Spinach and Mushroom Quiche by Carolyn Blakeslee August 2016

The Ag Mag Volume 1, Issue 8 ISSN 2471-3007

Publisher + Editor Carolyn Blakeslee TheAgMag@gmail.com Director of Marketing and Advertising Sales Brooke Hamlin 352-537-0096 TheAgMag1@gmail.com Director of Programs and Events Jeri Baldwin WowJer@aol.com Design + Production Carolyn Blakeslee Valerie Feagin Amy Garone Contributors William K. Crispin Jan Cross Cubbage David Goodman Melody Murphy Contact Us 352-537-0096 P.O. Box 770194 Ocala, FL 34477 TheAgMag@gmail.com The-Ag-Mag.com Facebook.com/ TheAgricultureMagazine Copyright ©2016 The Ag Mag, LLC All rights reserved Covering agriculture and gardening in north central Florida. The magazine can be found 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, high school and university ag departments, trailer dealers, selected restaurants, farm-oriented real estate offices, Thoroughbred association, landscape and garden centers, libraries, and theatres including The Hippodrome and OCT. NEW: Also available by subscription. Send your name and address with a check for $24 to the address above, or order securely online at https://squareup. com/store/the-ag-mag/

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Letter from the Publisher

his month we present another point/counterpoint of young/ mature. Willie Earl Paramore (p.14) is nearly 90, yet he manages hundreds of acres and picks up a new skill every few years — not a minor skill like how to navigate Facebook, but beekeeping, and a certification in controlled burns. We doubt Willie would appreciate getting bucked off a horse at his age, but younger people are doing just that and, if they’re good enough at the cowboy arts, they’re earning scholarships at it. Read Jeri Baldwin’s profile of 18-year-old Taylor Baldwin on p.16. We visit soil guru John Ritter this month (p.12). He was a soil geek at an early age and was a soil judge by the time he was in high school. He offers tips on how to prepare the best soil you can get. It takes a little time, but if you start right and take care of it, your land will yield happily for as long as you want it to. We touch on agritourism (p.10) again with a profile of a farmer who offers award-winning crop mazes for several months each year. Jan brings her thoughts on keeping your barn a “no fly zone” (p.20) without experiencing allergic reactions. She writes from the perspective of being a horse owner, but her advice remains true for anyone who stables cattle or other livestock. David, with his inimitable humor, talks about how dang hot it is (p.18). At least he offers relief, possibilities, and some almost-diabolical ideas about how to easily prepare an area of lawn or pasture for easy planting in the fall. Melody, too, writes about the Dog Days (p.25) but her article also relates to our Farming Wonders of the World feature on p.3 about pest-sniffing dogs. Do you ever tire of hearing buzzwords? Read Bill’s article (p.23), which is quite down-to-earth on the buzzword “sustainable” and another one or two. We hope you enjoy this issue! Cheers,

Carolyn

News Safety Reminders About Bottled Water

tact a Landowner Assistance Program biologist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at MyFWC.com/lap. The Natural Resources Conservation Service also provides technical and financial assistance to manage and restore longleaf pine. Learn more at your local USDA service center or online at www.nrcs. usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/site/fl/home/.

on’t drink bottled water after it has been sitting in your tractor or truck or otherwise becomes hot; even so-called BPA-free plastic bottles can leach antimony and BPA. Also, do not reuse plastic water bottles, discard them. For reusable bottles, select silicone or stainless steel bottles, or a good ol’ Thermos.

Florida Citrus Season Ends on a High Note

he 2015-16 Florida citrus season ended slightly better than forecasters had predicted. USDA reported that 45.4 million boxes of Valencias were produced; 36.1 million boxes of early, mid-season, navel, and Temple varieties; and 10.85 million boxes of grapefruit.

The Benefits of Prescribed Burns of Longleaf Pine

hile the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission focuses on reduction of wildfires, it also focuses on prescribed burning and its benefits for wildlife, wildlife habitats, and people. The reduction of tick populations has important implications for public health. Prescribed burning is a cost-effective method that can be applied on a landscape level, thus reducing the risk of tick-borne diseases. The pine species most adapted to frequent prescribed burning, and the one that can be burned as early as one year after planting, is the longleaf pine. For information on longleaf pine technical assistance or cost-share programs, con-

Q-biotype whitefly now in 8 counties

he Q-biotype whitefly, a significant pest that could damage agriculture, has spread from Palm Beach to seven other Florida counties, according to Lance Osborne, a UF/IFAS entomology professor and researcher. Crops that could eventually be affected include tomatoes, squash, beans, watermelons and many other vegetables and ornamentals, he said. The whitefly species has now been reported in homeowners’ yards and on retail nurseries’ plants as far north as Duval County. It’s also in Broward, Highlands, Hillsborough, Martin, Pinellas and Seminole counties, Osborne said. If you suspect you have a Q-biotype whitefly in your yard or crop, contact your UF/IFAS Extension office. use soap and oils that are sold as insecticides. Because new populations have built up resistance to chemicals, it is recommended that suspected whitefly infestations be confirmed before chemically treating the insects, as it may be

August 2016

useless to spray pesticides. Landscapers and pest control operators should inspect for signs of whitefly pests, communicate with neighboring properties and homeowners’ associations, and employ good management and growing practices. Nurseries who suspect whitefly infestation should send an email to cindy. mckenzie@ars.usda.gov. Whitefly management guidelines are available at http://bit.ly/1Tm5iBm and http://bit. ly/1qJRdU3.

Laurel Wilt Hitting Avocado Crops Pathogen now in 61 of 67 Florida counties

ith 12,000 commercial avocado trees already destroyed by laurel wilt, growers need a solution, but so do residential homeowners, as the pathogen has now been reported in all but six of Florida’s 67 counties, said Jonathan Crane, a UF/IFAS professor of horticultural sciences and a tropical fruit Extension specialist at the Tropical

Above: Jonathan Crane, a tropical fruit specialist and professor of horticultural sciences at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, examines avocado trees in South Florida. Crane is working with many research and Extension specialists at UF/IFAS, including entomologist Daniel Carrillo, in trying to help commercial avocado growers handle the spread of the laurel wilt pathogen.

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Research and Education Center in Homestead. Avocados are a $100,000,000-per-year crop in Florida. The only counties not to have reported laurel wilt are Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Gulf, Franklin and Wakulla — all in the Panhandle. Among Crane’s recommendations: 1. Maintain the health of your avocado tree and other nearby trees. Healthy trees are less attractive to ambrosia beetles. Avocado trees benefit from a good fertilizer program and periodic irrigation. 2. Report any suspicious red bay, sassafras and avocado trees to the Florida Division of Plant Pathology, 888-397-1517. Look for rapid wilting, dieback and insect boring. Please be sure the tree is a member of the laurel family. You can also call your county’s UF/IFAS Extension office. 3. Trees affected by laurel wilt or suspected to be positive for laurel wilt disease should not be moved from the infested property unless taken to the local landfill and destroyed or buried. Contact your local waste disposal service for disposal options and procedures. An option is chipping or grinding the entire tree (including the trunk) and tarping the chips for at least one week The chips may then be used as a mulch. The 12,000 commercial avocado trees destroyed by the laurel wilt pathogen represents about 1.5 percent of avocado trees grown for farming in Florida. More than 98 percent of Florida’s commercial avocados are grown in MiamiDade County, but avocado trees are popular in residential landscapes. Laurel wilt is spread by the ambrosia beetle and among avocado trees through the interconnected roots of mature avocado trees. The time from infection to tree mortality ranges from four to eight weeks. The ambrosia beetle was discovered in the U.S., in Georgia, in 2002, and the link between the beetle and the fungal pathogen was made in 2003. The devastating disease has spread rapidly through the natural landscapes along the southeastern seaboard of the U.S. For more information, consult the UF/IFAS publication online at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ hs379, and the Florida Dept. of Agriculture laurel wilt page at http://bit.ly/29D2UDP.

Micro-Growing

A hybrid of container and raised bed

ast month, our report on school gardens presented four different kinds of gardens: inground, raised-bed, container, and hydroponic. But there’s a fairly new alternative: softsided, raised-bed containers. GardenMate, a brand made in Germany, is said to stand up well when the user is filling them with soil, unlike some of the other brands that collapse inward. Also, the handles make it easier to move. It is water- and air-permeable for optimal plant growth and mold prevention. Because the fabric drains well, more watering is generally required. The bags, made of a material similar to landscape fabric, are reusable and last a few years. The model pictured above is a four-gallon bag, 6” tall by 14” diameter. It probably isn’t a good idea to place it (as pictured) on wood without a liner underneath, but the bag is fine on grass or an outdoor patio. This size would be useful for growing herbs, small peppers, or lettuce. There are many other brands, shapes, and sizes available including wider and taller bags that will accommodate tomatoes, corn, and other top-heavy produce. This seems like a good gardening solution for people who are renting, will be moving soon, or simply want to be able to move their plants around.

August 2016

Bringing the Public Back to the Farm in the 21st Century By Phillip Stokes

t was during a car ride in 2012 that Kelly and Justin Mosley discussed making one of their most lifealtering decisions. They had just attended a Florida Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers and Ranchers conference. On their way home to their family farm in Clay County, they were contemplating what they had learned in a workshop on agritourism, the industry that offers on-farm recreational and/or educational experiences to visitors. After a month of prayer and discussion, they decided to start a corn maze, calling it the Amazing Grace Crop Maze. They opened in the fall of 2013. Since then, the Amazing Grace Crop Maze has become integrated in the northeast Florida community, as evidenced by the maze featuring the Wolfson Children’s Hospital logo in their 2014 crop design. The medical complex consists of a hospital in Jacksonville and several medical facilities in Florida and Georgia. In June, Kelly Mosley was a presenter in a we-

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binar for the UF/IFAS Center for Public Issues Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources (PIE Center). She shared her story and lessons learned about operating an agritourism business. Visit piecenter.com/webinars to watch the entire recorded webinar, which also features Adam Basford, Florida Farm Bureau Federation’s state legislative affairs director, presenting on agritourism law. Kelly recalled how she felt about the family farm before the Amazing Grace Crop Maze was in existence. “We thought our home farm was special,” she said, “but we didn’t realize that other people would feel that way, as well.” In hindsight, she now knows that people are eager to be outdoors, and they cherish the opportunity to visit a farm and enjoy time with their family. Since the first fall crop maze in 2013, the Amazing Grace Crop Maze has expanded their reach each year. First they offered school field trips; then they added birthday parties in 2015, and a spring you-pick flower field in 2016. Kelly’s first recommendation to anyone considering starting an agritourism business is to research other agritourism operations. “We spent an entire fall season going to other farms around the Southeast,” she said. “Any time we were going on a trip, we looked at the map to see if there was a farm that we could visit. We would talk to different people, interview people, ask them questions, and try to learn as much as we could before we jumped into this.” Kelly said the Amazing Grace Crop Maze focuses on safety and customer service. “We’re used to operating that equipment or seeing that animal,” she said. “When the general public comes on your farm, that is not something they are accustomed to. It is our Number One priority to keep our guests safe.” Kelly said the Amazing Grace Crop Maze

has a reputation for having excellent customer service. Team members are expected to take care of the needs of all guests at the farm. “At the end of the day, creating a great experience for that family is going to keep people coming back time and time again, and that is extremely important to us,” Kelly said. The Amazing Grace Crop Maze is just one example of a producer taking advantage of the growing opportunity of agritourism in Florida. If you are a producer involved in agritourism or looking to explore the opportunities agritourism has to offer, understanding consumers’ preferences for agritourism could help your business be more successful. The PIE Center has conducted research on consumer perceptions of agritourism, and the results will be available later this year. This research will show consumer knowledge, participation levels, perceived education value, effective marketing channels, and desired amenities all related to agritourism. In 2017, the PIE Center will host two professional development workshops on agritourism. These workshops will present the findings to provide current and future agritourism producers with insights into the consumer mindset. As education specialist for the UF/IFAS PIE Center, Phillip Stokes designs and supports many of the outreach and education programs for the center. He facilitates virtual and in-person trainings, as well as develops and evaluates curriculum and outreach material. Learn more about PIE Center research at www.piecenter.com. For information about the Amazing Grace Crop Maze, visit http://agcropmaze.com/. The farm‘s fall season begins in late September.

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August 2016

The Dirt on Soil

with Frog Song Organics by Laura McCormick

or John Ritter, Amy Van Scoik, and their family at Frog Song Organics in Hawthorne, the secret to their growing success is in the soil. When John and Amy selected the land they call home with the help of soil maps in

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2011, they had no idea the impact they would make on the local farming community. Setting quality standards for all certified organic farms to look up to, FSO produces more than 80 different crops annually, sells their products at farmer’s markets across the state, and services thousands of CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) subscriptions annually. Operating on 60 acres, FSO does all of this without using harmful chemicals or sprays — generating high-quality, delicious veggies, fruits, and herbs for consumers in the area. LM So what’s the secret? JR Without getting lost in all the scientific terminology, there are a few simple things to keep in mind if you’re looking to grow organically here in the Sunshine State. First, if you’re farming in the ground, in Florida, there’s a likely chance you’re operating with well-drained or flooded sand that does not hold

water. This type of soil specifically, needs work and time. The first step to battling this challenge is planting cover crops. A cover crop is a plant that is used primarily to improve soil health, control erosion, help control pests and diseases, increase biodiversity, and support a stronger planting foundation. At Frog Song, several of the fields are currently covered in rye, buckwheat or sun hemp. These crops thrive in the Florida weather and create a natural fertilizing process, free of conventional chemical treatment. After the crops have grown to satisfaction, we then dig up the land and till everything back into the ground, generating natural organic material. Once this is complete, we determine, depending on which crop we’re planting, whether or not the area needs additional fertilizer and if so, what kind. LM How do you fertilize? JR The belief amongst organ-

ic farmers is that conventional fertilizers are causing major, large-scale problems in our environment due to the negative effects of these fertilizers seeping into our aquifer. But, sometimes, crops need a little help and organic farmers have found a way to incorporate organic fertilizers into the land. At FSO, we use fish fertilizer, seaweed powder, chicken manure, Black Cow compost, which is 90% heat treated so there is no chance of contamination from conventional feeds or processes on the farm — or Converted Organics™ 2-2-2, a liquid, natural fertilizer whose nutrients are derived from grain fermentation solubles and fish. Not all crops need assistance, but when it is necessary to incorporate fertilizers, these are some of the best options available. Once the area is properly fertilized and planted, the next step is to wait. Watch and wait. Monitor the fields daily. Look at plant growth, vigor, leaf color, crop yield and do an overall quality analysis. I walk our fields on a daily basis. We pick our own meals daily and are constantly evaluating crop growth to determine what’s working and what isn’t. When it comes to the end of harvest time, whatever is left in the crop is disked into the field in order to add more natural nutrients to the land.

used to naturally control pests and diseases that can become established in the soil over time. The changing of crops in a sequence decreases the population level of pests by interrupting pest life cycles and pest habitat. Anything grown in soil is grouped into a “family” and it is extremely important to change between families on a regular basis. This practice, paired with planting cover crops every 12-18 months, helps to generate natural and organic fertilizers in the soil.

LM What about crop rotation? JR For Frog Song Organics, rotation is religion. One of the main ways to combat nutrient lockout is to continuously rotate the crops you plant in an area. Crop rotation is another tool

LM Is it working? JR When it comes to organic farming, knowing your soil and having reasonable expectations is a good place to start. Understand that time is your friend and as long as you’re in it

LM Can companion planting help? JR Over time, farmers have learned that planting certain crops in close proximity to each other (a plant community) is another way to help control pests, maximize crop space, and increase crop productivity. Here you will find various crops mixed in with others to help each one thrive. Large areas of one type of vegetable look like a bright red “Open” sign to problematic pests. If you mix in flowers and herbs, it becomes more difficult for destructive insects to find the veggies. The scent of flowers and herbs, as well as the change-up in color, is thought to confuse these harmful insects, making organic crop management a little bit easier.

for the long haul, by practicing some of these techniques, you can develop a backyard garden or a small to mid-sized farming operation that will both increase the natural health of the land and improve the resources on it. John describes the development of his land as “a series of movements over a period of time.” Success is measured by how the fields look and by how the veggies taste. There are wins and there are losses, but every day continues to be a learning process for both him and his staff. Their diverse crop selection thrives each season, demonstrating the health of the soil and the years of knowledge gained through growing experience. On the farm at FSO, growing food is truly an art. Laura McCormick owns Rose Blossom Farm in Citra and operates the Florida Grub Hub with business partner Audrey Hamberger at 304 S Magnolia Ave., Ocala, http:// floridagrubhub.com/. Learn more about Frog Song Organics (or sign up for their CSA) at www.FrogSongOrganics.com.

PHOTOS: p.12, John, Amy, lettuce and beautiful soil. Above: John and Baby Jade in their corn field. The field was planted the day before she was born, and was picked 10 weeks later.

August 2016

Farm Finance Connie and Willie Earl Paramore

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

n September, Willie Earl Paramore will turn 90, but he isn’t letting any grass grow under his feet. He doesn’t stop moving, learning or doing. He manages a forest, hiking and four-wheeling though 540 acres, where he sets the prescribed burns himself. He also keeps bees, building his own bee boxes and moving them around to get the best nectar. And he is still on call for the Paramore Drug Store that now belongs to his son. Willie Earl is frequently the featured speaker on bees and trees at civic group meetings and Rotary Club. “I retired 21

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years ago and have been playing ever since,” he says. Everyone in town knows him and they will tell you, right away, that no one in town can keep up with Willie Earl, no matter what age. A third generation farmer, Willie Earl became interested in forestry when he planted two acres of longleaf pine trees for his Future Farmers of America project in 1942. But then he was drafted. When he returned from the Army, he married his high school sweetheart, Corrie, settling in the small rural town of Marianna, nicknamed “The City of Southern Charm.” They raised a family and he was the

town pharmacist, but it wasn’t long before Willie Earl started acquiring land. He started out buying 17 acres in the ’50s, and by the early ’70s had purchased the rest a dozen miles north of Marianna. With help from his family, Willie Earl planted 228 acres in loblolly with some in slash pine. He attended Florida Forest Service classes and became certified to do prescribed burns. “I love to burn. It improves the forest and gets rid of the competition,” he said. Willie Earl has converted 40 acres of old logging ramps into food plots for wildlife. “I

see turkey all the time, quail, song birds and a bountiful supply of deer,” he said. “When I burn in the winter it opens the pine cones, attracting flocks of birds, hundreds of doves.” And last year he planted seven rows of pollinator habitat in between food plots. The 58 plants, four of each species, and fruit trees create year-round foraging for native pollinators such as native bees, beetles, butterflies, and for his own honey bees. Morning starts at 8:30 a.m. with the MarkOut Club, where he has been a member since he retired. The club’s namesake refers to a numberelimination game played at each meeting to determine who buys everyone’s coffee. “If you don’t embarrass your colleagues, they kick you out,” said Willie Earl. The club was once described in the Tallahassee Democrat as a daily roundtable of politicians and scalawags alike. At any given time, about 14 members belong to the club that meets in a downtown cafe. Nowadays, they include a former legislator, doctor, pollster, several farmers, and businessmen. Willie Earl is next up

for president, having been a member the longest. After coffee Willie Earl is off and out. Twenty more acres need to be burned on his land, and about that many more on an 80-acre forest Willie Earl manages for his nephew. Then he will drive his cherry red 1972 Massey Ferguson tractor to disc and plant some new food plots on his land. Bee hives need to be moved to a Tupelo tree stand and others onto bee tables Willie Earl put in the middle of his pollinator plants. He bottles enough honey to sell at the Paramore drugstore, Marianna’s farmers’ market, and the town’s holiday festival. Not happy about losing 12 colonies to bee collapse last year, leaving him with only 18 hives, he has worked hard to expand to 30 hives this year. They produced 200 more pounds of honey than last year. A workshop he took two years ago prompted Willie Earl to become a beekeeper. What is next? Willie Earl would like to take a class in gardening for bee and butterfly pollinator plants. “I want to get those pollinator plants going full force,” he said. Willie Earl has worked with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS, www. nrcs.usda.gov) since 2008. The agency has provided financial and technical assistance to help him treat invasive species and plant food plots, longleaf pine and pollinator habitat. “It has been great working with them. They coincide with my goals to increase wildlife on my property,” he said. For information on conservation planning and possible cost share assistance, visit your local NRCS field office (locations listed at http://1. usa.gov/1kMidud). Get started on the application process at http://1.usa.gov/1shM2dK.

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That Other Arena by Jeri Baldwin

ouchdown. Slider. Goalie. Cut block. Smash! People in sports-obsessed America usually have at least a passing acquaintance with the words which identify our games. But, what about Pigging String? Surcingle? Heeling? Grand Entry? Flanking? Those terms identify Rodeo activities and the culture that swirls around it. Rodeo — the sport of cowboys — and cowgirls — numbers hundreds of participants in the dozen events that comprise a rodeo. Rodeo events demonstrate the skills and abilities which grew up around the raising, care, and improvement of cattle. Ranch crews spent months gathering, counting, branding, doctoring, and marketing hundreds of cattle, and sounding off to their mates. When cattle obligations were finished, other debates, arguments, and boasts among the crew needed settling as cowboys devised

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ways to prove their prowess. Cowboys competed with each other at herding, roping, tying, and identifying their cattle. Rodeos developed directly from the work of tending cattle, unlike other sports often created and organized for competition only. Young people who grow up on farms and ranches often choose to ground themselves in many animal-minding skills even if they don’t need them to tend their animals. Those skills, not always necessary to raise their cattle, nevertheless offer fun, learning, and diversion to energetic youngsters. Countless hours pass while riding, roping, tying, and tending arts are learned, often just for the satisfaction of owning the ability. Taylor Baldwin, an 18-year-old who grew up on her family’s Baldwin Angus Ranch in Kendrick, just north of Ocala, learned some rodeo skills because she needed

to care for her animals. She gained other skills through interest and competition on her family ranch. Taylor learned to ride at age 8 on a neighbor’s horse. At 10, with her own horse, Taylor and her cousin, Colt Papy, began competing in small local rodeos. As she developed her interests, she fell in love with riding, roping, tying, and wrestling. She began to hone and perfect those abilities. However, owning admirable skills seemed to demand finding a place to prove her ability at those skills. Taylor found junior rodeo and high school rodeo. She proved her ability. She won — awards, ribbons, trophies. Other rodeo lovers noticed, and, as she finished high school, a unique combination of person — a university rodeo professional — approached her with an offer. A scholarship offer. Now, scholarships abound

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throughout the world: academic, research, sports, and several other areas. But this offer was a rodeo scholarship. Taylor Baldwin will depart for Bolger, Texas in mid-August to begin her college education at Frank Phillips College on a rodeo scholarship, the first rider from Marion County, we believe, to finance her college studies with those skills. Twelve schools organized The National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) in Texas in 1948 to produce rodeos with manageable schedules for college students. The Association also wanted to support students who desired to become professional rodeo riders, offered at no other academic institution. With steady growth, member schools now number 137 (all west of the Mississippi, except the Tennessee and Alabama colleges), with 3,500 students participating. They ride in six rodeos in the fall, and six in the spring. Actually, Taylor had several rodeo scholarship proposals. She ultimately accepted the Frank Phillips College offer, which covers tuition, dorm space, and a food plan. Taylor and her parents, Tony and Cindy Baldwin, are responsible for the horses, outfits, tack, other gear, truck, horse trailer and gas to the rodeos. Students tend their own animals and put in required practice time. They also compress classroom attendance, research, outside study, and college life into that schedule.

linda@farmerandra or fax to 941-36

For more information on the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association, visit www. CollegeRodeo.com; National High School Finals Rodeo, www.nhsra.com/high-schooldivision; and the International Finals Youth Rodeo, www.ifyr. com.

PROOF

Jeri Baldwin is a writer, historian, farmer, and co-founder of Crones Cradle Conserve Foundation, the 756-acre ecological preserve and

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education center in Citra, and is Director of Programs and Events for The Ag Mag.

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Store Hours: 8am - 5pm (M - F) 8am - 12 Noon (Sat) 15398 NW 44th Ave Rd. Reddick, Fl 352-591-2266 August 2016

It's Hot! (and how to turn an area of lawn into a ready-to-plant bed) by David The Good

t’s hot. It’s frying eggs on the sidewalk hot. It’s sauna hot. It’s “stay inside Publix all day because you can’t bear to go out into the parking lot” hot. I grew up in south Florida, but living in north Florida is a whole new ball game. It’s hotter here than in my old hometown of Ft. Lauderdale, thanks to the unfortunate lack of a nearby ocean. One blazingly hot summer morning I was out working in the yard for about an hour before I came in and collapsed on the sofa beneath the blessed breeze of a whirling ceiling fan. My wife asked if I was okay and I shook my head. “I just don’t have the strength I used to … I’m just getting older, I guess.” She burst into laughter and replied, “No, that’s not it. Remember this spring when you used a broadfork to dig up a couple thousand square foot of beds without taking a break?” I nodded and she continued. “It’s 100 degrees outside with almost 100% humidity. You’ll be fine in a few months.” She was right. As soon as the cool mornings returned in

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the fall, I was filled with new energy and rapidly tore through all the garden projects that had somehow fallen to pieces during the UV-saturated days of July through September. This column isn’t just a series of complaints about our unfortunate weather. As much fun as it would be to whine for 1,000 words about meteorological conditions beyond our control, let’s just go with what we have and use the sun of summer to prepare our gardens for fall. Torching weeds with space-age materials If you’ve ever left something flat on the grass for a week or so, like a board or a floor mat, it’s easy to see the difference between the grass beneath and the surrounding lawn. The blades yellow and flatten and eventually the grass dies from a lack of sunshine, air and water. This effect is put to good use by practitioners of sheet mulching, which is one of the many gardening methods I cover in my newest book, Grow or Die: The Good Guide to Survival Gardening.

With sheet mulching, you usually just throw down a layer of cardboard or newspaper over the weeds or grass where you want your garden, then pile lots of mulch and other good stuff on top, killing all the growth beneath that would compete with your garden plants. However, there is another powerful way to kill the grass and prepare a garden that doesn’t require you scrounging up a lot of cardboard and mulch: use the sun! To do so, just get a tarp or some plastic sheeting and lay it right down where you want to plant your fall garden, making sure it’s tightly in place. I use bricks, rocks, or, in a pinch, shovelfuls of sand to hold down the plastic, and then I wait for the heat beneath to do their work. My friend Mart recently shared an article with me from the site NoTillVeggies.org comparing the power of black plastic vs. clear plastic as a way to kill weeds. In their tests, they found that clear plastic roasted grass and weeds better than black plastic. The greenhouse effect

of that clear plastic will wipe out everything beneath it and leave you with a ready-to-plant space. A few months of Florida heat coming through a piece of clear plastic is a powerful thing! The clear plastic traps moisture and heat beneath, raising temperatures and completely obliterating weeds. Unlike tilling, it’s quite passive and doesn’t destroy the structure of the soil or turn up new weed seeds. You can torch an area with clear plastic during the summer, take off the plastic in the fall, leave the brown weeds and grass in place, and then just plant transplants right into all that good grownin-place mulch. That’s my kind of lazy gardening. I like the idea and will be experimenting with it to see

how it works in my garden. It’s certainly a nice alternative to the spray-with-chemicals-andplant-in-the-aftermath method. Is there anything we can plant right now? For those of you who are really itching to plant something despite the heat, there are a few vegetables that can grow despite the heat and bugs of August. Try planting okra, yardlong beans and Southern peas. They’ll keep growing when all else fails. Sometimes I plant Southern peas as a cover crop in the summer to add nitrogen and biomass in preparation for my fall plots. It’s hot out there but gardening never has to end in Florida!

Stay cool, folks — and keep growing. David The Good is a Florida native, a gardening expert and the author of four books you can find on Amazon, including Totally Crazy Easy Florida Gardening, Create Your Own Florida Food Forest, Compost Everything: The Good Guide to Extreme Composting and his new bestseller Grow or Die: The Good Guide to Survival Gardening. Find fresh gardening inspiration every weekday at his popular website www. TheSurvivalGardener.com. David welcomes questions and comments; contact him at david@floridafoodforests.com. To view his informative but wacky gardening videos on YouTube, visit www.youtube.com/ user/davidthegood.

August 2016

Flies Your Barn Can Be a “Low Fly Zone” by Jan Cross Cubbage

illions of years of evolution have created the perfect little flying blood-sucking insect known as the stable fly. The quarter-inchlong nozzle-like proboscis of the stable fly has a sharp point able to pierce even the tough hide of a tail switching horse or cow. In spite of the genius of mankind in our attempts to eliminate them, stable flies continue to thrive and evolve. Entomologists have found that the pyrethrin-based chemicals utilized in fly spray do not necessarily kill flies. Stable flies are evolving that tolerate pyrethrins and pyrethroids. In other words, the chemicals that spray during timed releases within your barn via automatic fly spray systems are doing nothing more than stirring flies and contaminating the forage of your horses, as well as the air they breathe with toxic chemicals that can’t kill a fly. Let’s discuss an insecticide called pyrethrin that is labeled as safe. Though this natural insecticide is extracted from a species of Chrysanthemum flowers, the natural chemical compound called pyrethrin is indeed quite

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toxic, just as many other plant extracts are (i.e.: bloodroot, foxglove, oleander). Pyrethrins are utilized to kill flies by targeted direct contact. But what I have observed from visits to stables is that flies appear to have an early warning system that enables them to avoid the bombardment of insecticide dispersed from automatic fly spray systems. Pyrethrins break down quickly due to temperature and sunlight exposure, so insecticide manufacturers add another organic compound called piperonyl butoxide to increase its effects. When released through the spray nozzles of your barn’s fly control system, the insecticide spray mist is falling upon your horse’s indoor environment. These insecticides might not be safe for your horse’s respiratory and immune system and could be an eye irritant as well. The synthetic (compounded by man) version of pyrethrins are known as pyrethroids. These compounds carry labels such as cypermethrin, permethrin, and resmethrin and are compounds that are proven more effective (toxic) and longer-lasting than

the Chrysanthemum-derived pyrethrin. Pyrethroids contain an even more potent level of toxicity than the nature-based pyrethrins. There is an answer to the fly killing dilemma, though. First of all, you cannot win the war on stable flies by using only chemical weapons of mass destruction. There are proven battle strategy systems known as Integrated Pest Management (IPM) that will help you successfully minimize the fly population of your barn. IPM is a process of reducing pest populations to low levels by incorporating a combination of practical methods of attacking flies and killing them one by one. Population control is the key to fly elimination and chemicals are not necessarily needed. IPM advocates a minimal use of only nature-based chemicals, biological controls, and mechanical controls. IPM strategies are implicitly less harmful to horses, people, and the environment than the sole use of manufactured chemicals. At the very start of fly season, I looked to IPM strategy number one: mechanical control entrapment. A box of six sticky

fly tapes costs less than a bottle of Coke. Hung from feed tubs and draped over my feed storage barrels and other places where I saw the first flies of the season, these sticky tapes caught a multitude of hungry flies. For every female fly stuck to the fly tapes, I knew that I’d just captured a female fly capable of laying 60-120 eggs. Fly eggs hatch in 24 hours. After a few days in the larvae stage, flies morph into a dormant pupae stage that usually lasts about a week. From the pupae stage out pops the adult, ready to fly, feed and reproduce. The entire egg-to-adult life phase takes just a week or two. Doing the math, one female fly can contribute to future generations of flies, totaling a million individual flies in less than 50 days! It is very easy to make a fly trap from a oneliter soda bottle. Just slice a bottle into two parts, the base being somewhat longer than the top section. Invert the top and place it snugly into the open base section of the bottle. A wrap or two of duct tape will hold the two pieces snugly together. Pour some bait (I use beer, which I fondly call “Miller Fly Life”) into the funnel you created into the bottom section of the bottle. Punch a hole on each opposite side of the top of the trap to tie in a hanger made of baling twine. Hang the trap where you have seen flies, perhaps in the feed storage area of the barn. When the flies get a whiff of the beer, it’s party time! Unfortunately for the fly, they will not find their way home. You can buy the commercial version of this fly trap called Trap ’n Toss. These fly traps lure

flies into a no-escape interior by use of an effective, foul-smelling bait. Strategy two: biological control. This component utilizes a parasite/predator insect release program. I located several companies online that will ship packages of beneficial predator flies in the hatching stage every 30 days or so during fly season. Upon hatching out, the hungry adult parasite flies, called pupal parasoids, search for their victims, the pupae of stable flies. And, finally, strategy three: spray applied directly to the horses. For the temporary relief of horn flies, stable flies and mosquitoes, I use a spray-on insecticide, a nature-based spray sans pyrethrins and pyrethroids. I am allergic to both of these chemicals and even a tiny bit of drifting spray upon my face will inflict upon me a burning, red rash. The minimum-risk product for equine use that I use is called Nature’s Force Fly Spray. The ingredients are clove oil, cinnamon oil, thyme oil, peppermint oil, and lemon grass oil, along with a 92.6% three-ingredient blend of Isopropyl myristate (a binder made of isopropyl alcohol and myristic acid, a naturally occurring fatty acid used in cosmetic and topical medicinal

August 2016

preparations); 2-Propanol (a solvent that is a component of aerosol sprays and is readily biodegradable, both aerobically and anaerobically); and Vanillin (derived, as you might guess, from the vanilla bean). Nature’s Force Fly Spray is repulsive and toxic to flies, but not to me. I am careful to spray in a manner that only wets the horses’ hair, not their skin — and to avoid contact of the spray with my horses’ eyes. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a great way to minimize the harm that can be done by chemical-based pesticides. Jan Cross Cubbage, a blood stock agent and Thoroughbred farm manager, is a retired high school teacher of history and science, and former certified workshop facilitator for Florida Fish and Wildlife; she has received four grants for educational programs from Southwest Florida Water Management District; she wrote the equine lesson plans for Florida Agriculture in the Classroom (FAITC); and she is the author of Screaming Ponies, a book about American wild horses. She is also a former licensed Thoroughbred trainer in six states.

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“Sustainability” and “Security”

More than just buzzwords to farmers by William K. Crispin, Attorney At Law

griculture’s economic and geographic presence is pretty much ubiquitous throughout Florida. However, one of the few certainties of our society is the uncertainty of it. I recently read where Florida as a state grows by the addition of 1,000 people a day. Land development is steered by population growth. Such disruption of land use can be unsettling and, when applied to the issue of sustainable agriculture, a real challenge. This article, and others to follow, addresses the chronic pressures felt through types of land use and ownership relating to production agriculture. I first wish to acknowledge a recent Texas A&M Law Review article by Jesse Richardson, Jr., “Land Tenure and Sustainable Agriculture,” which explores in detail some of the underlying basis presented here. A primary principle expressed in Professor Richardson’s paper is that when determining whether conservation practices will be adopted by a farmer, land tenure is a major factor. In other words, how secure a farmer is on the land upon which they farm is a major factor considered before

implementing a particular land management practice. First we establish some terms of art to enable this discussion. The term “sustainable agriculture,” as defined by the notable agricultural law Professor Neil Hamilton with the Drake Law School, means “developing agricultural practices which protect the environment while preserving the economic profitability of farmers.” Professor Hamilton explains that by combining a concern for the environment with attention to the economics of farming, sustainable agriculture offers a way to harness producers’ natural concerns for the profitability of their farms. Management of a farm’s soils, for instance, consists of first establishing objectives to be achieved and deciding what practices and applications are required to meet the objective(s). Some are more long-term than others, and the more secure the tenancy or tenure of that parcel of land, the more options available to the farmer when assessing the farm operation from the perspective of sustainability. Professor Richardson fo-

cused on three areas of land tenure that are less than complete and outright fee simple ownership: leasing, property inherited that has several owners but only one or two occupy it, and conservation easements. With each of these types of tenures, there is a factor of uncertainty to the farmer. As the level of uncertainty increases, the fewer, and less long-term, conservation practices are adopted. This line of thinking, when stretched out over the production agriculture landscape, presents some challenging food for thought. I will touch upon each of these less-than-fee-simple tenancies as it relates to investment for sustainable agriculture on the land. A significant amount of land farmed in our area is leased by the farmer from the landowner. A common farm lease is a year-to-year cash lease with the tenant having little to no stake in the property beyond the lease term. This lack of a permanent attachment creates little incentive to make longterm investments in the land. Urban expansion is one of the influencing factors that affect both landowner and farmer from committing to a long-term

August 2016

lease and investment in the property for agricultural purposes. Landowners who lease their land increasingly are less likely to live close to the rented property. The combined factors of the owner’s decreased connection to agriculture and distance from the leased land can affect relations between farmer and landlord that may add to the farmer’s uncertainty when considering investment in the long-term care of the land. While many farms with leased land are based on yearto-year leases, both landowner and farmer have the opportunity to enhance each other’s security and certainty by addressing related issues through a well thought out written lease. Land inherited and owned by several heirs, sometimes with a farming legacy, brings with it a “thinning” of control and direction due to the multiple ownership. The uncertainty of the future use and control also discourages long-term investment strategies in the property for farming purposes. This scenario is a not-uncommon challenge faced by farm families whose children might not wish to continue farming or stay on the family farm. Considerate and insightful farm estate planning takes into account the disconnect between future family members who stay and work the farm, and those who leave the farm. This is sometimes addressed by balancing an inheritance with assets other than the farm land, so that those who farm the land maintain sufficient control for long-term investment planning related to agriculture.

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The third type of land tenure which has gained wider use and popularity is selling a farm’s development rights in exchange for a conservation easement. The easement transfers a specified area of control over land practices to a governmental agency or land trust, and limits future options of the land owner. Professor Richardson creatively discusses the extent of uncertainty of the land for agricultural purposes brought about by placing a conservation easement on the property. The Florida Statutes at Chapter 704.06 (1) defines conservation easement: (1) As used in this section, “conservation easement” means a right or interest in real property which is appropriate to retaining land or water areas predominantly in their natural, scenic, open, agricultural, or wooded condition; retaining such areas as suitable habitat for fish, plants, or wildlife; retaining the structural integrity or physical appearance of sites or properties of historical, architectural, archaeological, or cultural significance; or maintaining existing land uses and which prohibits or limits any or all of the following: (a) Construction or placing of buildings, roads, signs, billboards or other advertising, utilities, or other structures on or above the ground. (b) Dumping or placing of soil or other substance or material as landfill or dumping or placing of trash, waste, or unsightly or offensive materials. (c) Removal or destruction of trees, shrubs, or other vegetation.

(d) Excavation, dredging, or removal of loam, peat, gravel, soil, rock, or other material substance in such manner as to affect the surface. (e) Surface use except for purposes that permit the land or water area to remain predominantly in its natural condition. (f) Activities detrimental to drainage, flood control, water conservation, erosion control, soil conservation, or fish and wildlife habitat preservation. (g) Acts or uses detrimental to such retention of land or water areas. (h) Acts or uses detrimental to the preservation of the structural integrity or physical appearance of sites or properties of historical, architectural, archaeological, or cultural significance. Funding for conservation easements has started to rebound while the agricultural land use pressures associated with urban expansion, pipelines, family dynamics, and overall changing economic conditions have never let up. No doubt with such high-impact pressure on sustainable agriculture use, conservation easements present several good upsides, including those that are tax related. However, with the permanent nature of the restrictions placed on the farm land associated with conservation easements, the farm landowner must carefully consider how those restrictions are drafted. A future article will further explore the use of conservation easements in our area. William K. Crispin Afarmersfriend.com

Second Nature by Melody Murphy

The Dog Days of Summer

ere we are in the hottest part of the summer: the dog days. And this summer, my mother’s dog — Beaujangles, Destroyer of Worlds — has really come into his own. Beaujangles is, allegedly, a 15-month-old schnoodle: half schnauzer, half poodle. In truth, he is a menagerie’s worth of animals rolled into one. He has the coloring and symmetrical markings of a badger, the face and cunning of a raccoon, the dexterous paws of an otter, the whiskers of a catfish, the teeth of a crocodile, the jaws of a grizzly bear, the omnivorous appetite of a goat, the stubbornness of a mule, and the disposition of a mongoose. And he is named for the fried-chicken establishment. Only a beaver has a greater passion for gnawing on wood. When he rolls over and shows his teeth, he looks like a wolf, with skunk stripes on his undercarriage. And he likes to stretch out with his little feet splayed behind him like a frog, which once in dim lighting made it look like there was a baby seal under the coffee table. The lady at obedience school who is tasked with bending his stubborn will to that of a human’s likened his shrill, ear-piercing shrieks to a canary. Like a Manx cat, he was born without a tail, but has a cream-colored spot where it should be. He looks like a cottontail rabbit from the back

August 2016

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Ingalls family would be no place for the Destroyer of Worlds. Besides the vampire bat on his backside, one reason I think he may be aligned with evil is that, while he is passionate in his thievery of all paper goods, he has particular zeal for destroying religious publications. He can go directly for the church bulletin only so many times before it starts to look like a hate crime. Earlier this summer, he got hold of a pen. When discovered, he was stretched out cozily, holding it upright between his ink-saturated paws like a lollipop, chewing it to pieces. Having been caught, he sprang forth and merrily eluded his pursuers as we gave chase across the house. Blue pawprints were everywhere. Two hours later, the house was spotless and he was pristine. Pure evil can be surprisingly fluffy after a bath. My hands were stained blue until the next day, like Lady Macbeth with hypothermia. No, Beaujangles is not a Useful Farm Dog. Except that he does provide entertainment, like a traveling showboat in days of yore, or the Salem witch trials. Country people take such diversions as they can get, and are grateful. It’s a good thing he’s cute. Melody Murphy does not have a dog of her own, but she enjoys Beaujangles on her visits. She understands his love for pen and paper.

Photographs by Melody Murphy

when bounding across the yard with his hind legs vigorously springing out. The spot has shifted from circular to oval to diamond-shaped over the past year. Now it looks like a bat. Beau does not use the bat-signal on his backside to summon any superheroes, but I wish he would; we could use the extra help. His primary hobbies are demolition and theft. He steals shoes, disembowels stuffed toys within minutes, and recently took down a section of doorframe. He exhibits high levels of sass and laughs scornfully at all attempts to discipline him. I sometimes muse over humanity’s purpose in domesticating dogs. I know they were useful once, on farms and such, but now, with modern prototypes like Beau, I have to wonder. For instance: I loved the Little House book series as a child. I was particularly fond of Jack, the Ingalls family dog. I seem to remember that Jack, as a Farm Dog, was a Useful Dog. He guarded the homestead, protected his humans, served as nursemaid to the children, gave weather warnings, frightened away intruders, herded cattle, pulled sleds, killed rats, skirmished with wild animals, and had a compass-true instinct for which way was north. I know he swam a river once and I think he could probably churn butter and sing duets with Mr. Edwards, too. I recall being highly impressed by Jack. Lassie was another Useful Farm Dog, having the talent for communicating with a series of barks that Timmy was under the tractor or in the well again. Either Lassie was a particularly skilled communicator or her humans possessed extraordinary powers of translation — but either way, Lassie was Useful. There are many Useful Farm Dogs in lore and legend. Beaujangles is not one of them. He does live somewhat in the country, with cows, chickens, hogs, and donkeys nearby. But unless the work you need done on your farm is Destroy All the Paper Goods Immediately, then Beau is not the dog for you. He is not a dog for agricultural pursuits, unless you need all the branches, sticks, twigs, and leaves cleared from a parcel of land and consumed. Then he’s your dog. He might be useful as a mobile scarecrow, as he does like to bark at birds. Or you could hitch a very small plow to him. A God-fearing farm such as that of the

Calendar of Events EVENTS: WORKSHOPS, MEETINGS, CLASSES, CONFERENCES, ETC. Deadline August 1 Heifer Development Program. Open to members of the Florida Cattlemen’s Association. http://bit.ly/1WGLH0S. August 1-4 2016 Florida Springs Field School. Daily lectures on springs, field trips. 9-5 daily, $150. North Florida Springs Environmental Center, 99 NW 1st Ave., High Springs, http://bit.ly/2alva2e. Tuesday, August 2 1. Levy Soil and Water Conservation District meeting. 6:30pm, 625 N. Hathaway Ave., Bronson, http://myswcd. org/. Upcoming meetings (first Tuesday): 9/6, 10/4, 11/1, 12/6. 2. Master Gardeners Plant Clinic, free, 10-1, Dunnellon Public Library, 20351 Robinson Rd. 3. Springs Academy. Stresses: groundwater pumping, fertilizers, wastewater disposal, recreation. 12-1pm, $5. North Florida Springs Environmental Center, 99 NW First Ave., High Springs. Thursday, August 4 Local Love Thursdays, the first Thursday of every month. Local farms, local crafts, local foods, local brew. 5-8pm, The Wetlands, Swamp Head Brewery, 3650 SW 42nd Ave., Gainesville, http://bit.ly/2a66mYt.

Friday, August 5 Be Bear Wise. Includes snacks and a FWCC presentation on bear activity in the area. Free, 6-9pm, Hawthorne Community Market, 7040 SE Hwy. 301, Hawthorne. Saturday, August 6 Rain Barrel and MicroIrrigation Workshop. $5/person, 9-11am, UF/IFAS Marion Extension, 2232 NE Jacksonville Rd., Ocala, 352-671-8400. Tuesday, August 9 1. Building Your Own Farm’s Food Safety Manual. $35/ first person, $15/each additional Our Signature Recipe

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8 boneless chicken breasts 1 stick butter 1-2 cups Rice Krispies Salt & Pepper

attendee from your farm. Lunch and refreshments included. 8-5, UF/IFAS Extension Brevard County, 3695 Lake Dr., Cocoa, FL. http://bit.ly/1UfiJqm. NOTE: Repeated August 23. 2. Dixie Soil and Water Conservation District Board meeting. 6:30-7:30, Cypress Inn Restaurant, Cross City. Upcoming meetings (second Tuesday): 89/13, 10/11, 11/18, 12/13. 3. Limited Commercial Landscape Maintenance Workshop. Trains commercial landscape maintenance personnel to make correct pesticide applications to ornamentals and plant beds. 6 CEUs. $30/person includes

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August 2016

lunch. 8:30-5, UF/IFAS Alachua Extension, 2800 NE 39th Ave., Gainesville, 352-337-6209, http:// tinyurl.com/jphgovf. 4. Marion County Soil and Water Conservation District Board meeting, 9am, USDA Ocala Service Center, 2441 NE Third St., Suite 204-2, Ocala, Information: Ann Bishop, 352-622-3971, x.112. Upcoming meetings (second Tuesday): 9/13, 10/11, 11/8, 12/13. 5. St. Johns River Water Management District Governing Board meeting, 11am, District headquarters, 4049 Reid St., Palatka. Information: Missy McDermont, 386-329-4214. Upcoming meetings (second Tuesdays): 9/13, 9/27 (final budget meeting to be held at 5 pm), 10/11, 11/8, 12/13. Thursday, August 11 1. Agritourism Public Workshop on the Fire Safety Rule (draft updated in July). Free, 10-12, Forest Capital Hall, Main

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Auditorium, 203 Forest Park Dr., Perry. 2. AgWeather Solutions 2016. 9-3, Plant Science Research and Education Center, 2556 W. Hwy. 318, Citra. Information/ registration: Cynthia Sanders, 352955-2402. 3. Make Cheap and Easy Self-Watering Tomato Containers. $20 includes container ($5/class only). 6-7:30, UF/IFAS Alachua Extension, 2800 NE 39th Ave., Gainesville, 352-337-6209, http:// tinyurl.com/huepkqf. August 11-13 South Florida Bee College, UF/IFAS Ft. Lauderdale Research and Education Center, Davie. Queen rearing, pests and diseases, more. Honeybee@ifas.ufl.edu, http://bit.ly/295l3MS. Friday, August 12 Southern Regional Paso Fino Horse Show, all day, Southeastern Livestock Pavilion, 2232 NE Jacksonville Rd., Ocala, 352-6718600. Saturday, August 13 Hot Pepper Party. Amateur hot sauce competition, growing, seed-saving, preserving, pickling, nutrition, medicine, candy/dessert challenge, recipes, beverages, decorations, more. Free, 11-5, Hawthorne Community Market, 7040 SE Hwy. 301, Hawthorne. Tuesday, August 16 1. Best Practices at Farmers’ Markets: Improving Food Safety, and Market Growth. 9-3:30, UF/ IFAS Orange County Extension Education Center, 6021 S. Conway Rd., Orlando, FL. 2. Gilchrist Soil and Water Conservation District meeting. 6:30pm, Akins BBQ, Bell. Upcoming meetings (third Tuesdays every other month): 10/18, 12/20.

Wednesday, August 17 1. Opening a Home-Based Food Business. Understanding regulatory requirements; knowing whether your kitchen is safe for cottage food operation; farmers’ markets; marketing and advertising. Registration fee includes lunch. $25, 10-4. Citrus County Extension, 352-527-5700, http://bit.ly/29Cg6vJ. 2. The Floridan Aquifer System, lecture by Mr. Jim Goss, exec. director, FL Defenders of the Environment. 6pm, High Springs Woman’s Club, 23674 West U.S. Hwy. 27. 3. Withlacoochee Regional Water Supply Authority meeting, 3:30, Lecanto Government Bldg., Room 166, 3600 W. Sovereign Path, Lecanto. Next meeting: Sept. 21. August 17-18 25th Anniversary Citrus Expo, Lee Civic Center, N. Ft. Myers. http://CitrusExpo.net/. Friday, August 19 Women’s Professional Rodeo Association, Divisional Circuit Event. $500 added 4D barrel race. Exhibitions 6-8, race starts at 8:30. Ocala Rodeo Grounds, 4680 NW 27th Ave., Ocala, 352-512-1487. August 19-20 Free test forums; attend one or both. UF/IFAS Extension is partnering with the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) and the Kettering Foundation to convene Florida water issue forums as part of a national Environmental Issues Forums (EIF) program. Attendees to these forums may offer suggestions for improving the overall experience for future forum participants. Open to Alachua County residents; light refreshments will be provided. This Drains to Your Creek: Protecting Our Urban Watersheds, August

19, 1-4pm; options for managing stormwater runoff and pollution. Polishing Florida’s Gems: Choices for Springs Restoration, August 20, 9-12pm; options for restoring and protecting springs. Held at UF/ IFAS Alachua Extension, 2800 NE 29th Ave., Gainesville. Pre-register at least 3 days prior to class by calling 352-337-6209. Saturday, August 20 Homestead Poultry Workshop. $5, 9-12:30 for 4H and FFA; 1-3 for Homestead Poultry. Pre-register by 8/16. Held at UF/ IFAS Marion Extension, 2232 NE Jacksonville Rd., Ocala, 352-955-2402. Tuesday, August 23 Poison in the Pasture. Native and invasive pants that pose health risks to grazing animals. Learn to identify, prevent, and control them. $10, 6-8pm, UF/IFAS Lake County Extension, 1951 Woodlea Road, Tavares, http://bit.ly/2ajfuLc. Wednesday, August 24 Green Industries Best Management Practices. 8:30-4 with Dr. Denise DeBusk and Donald P. Rainey. BMP focused on reducing non-point pollution resulting from fertilization or pesticide application. CEUs available. $25/ person includes lunch. 8:30-4, UF/ IFAS Alachua Extension, 2800 NE 39th Ave., Gainesville, 352-3376209, http://tinyurl.com/zbm76a9. August 24-25 Evidence-Based Turf Management. $500, Ft. Lauderdale. CEUs available. http://bit. ly/1TeZzyO. August 25-26 Florida Agriculture Financial Management Conference. Tax planning, risk management, whole farm revenue protection insurance, leadership transition/succession plans, etc. Omni Orlando Resort, www.fafmc.org/.

Saturday, August 27 16th Annual Florida A&M Grape Harvest Festival. $6/ adults, $3/students, free/children younger than 13. 8-4, FAMU Center for Viticulture and Small Fruit Research, 6505 Mahan Dr., Tallahassee, http://famunews. com/grape-harvest-festival/. Tuesday, September 6 Springs Academy. 12-1, $5.

Springs advocacy: local, state, national. North Florida Springs environmental center, 99 NW 1st Ave., High Springs. September 6-10 3rd Annual Florida Local Food Summit. Sept. 6-8, on-farm workshops. Sept. 9-10, workshops in Orlando. Jenni Williams, 321749-6061, jenni@foginfo.org, www. FloridaFoodSummit.com.

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2 Miles North of Ocala Ford Dealership or 1 Mile South of Hwy 326/441 Intersection Across Hwy 441 from Miller's Boat Center and Next door to New Holland Tractor

August 2016

Saturday, September 10 Vegetable Garden Expo. Seminars, supplies, vegetable and herb garden tours. Free, 9-1, UF/ IFAS Marion Extension, 2232 NE Jacksonville Rd., Ocala, 352-6718400. September 12-16 Florida Gardening 101. Monday: Soil, composting. Tuesday: Micro-irrigation, Florida Friendly Landscaping. Wednesday: Garden tour, propagation, native plants. Thursday: Lawns, trees. Friday: Vegetable gardening, pests. $30/person or $50/couple, includes materials and snacks. 6-8:30 each evening, UF/IFAS Marion Extension, 2232 NE Jacksonville Rd., Ocala, 352-671-8400, https:// goo.gl/TPWsRE. Thursday, September 15 1. 2016 Florida Equine Institute Allied Trade Show. Theme: Enhancing Core Competencies. $20-75, 8-4, Southeastern Livestock Pavilion, 2232 NE Jacksonville Rd., Ocala, http://bit.ly/2ajPM9v. 2. Feeding the Equine Athlete. Anatomy-based feeding strategy that is â&#x20AC;&#x153;better for your horse and easier on your wallet.â&#x20AC;? $10, 6-8pm, UF/IFAS Lake County Extension, 1951 Woodlea Road, Tavares, http://bit.ly/2ahCNIt. 3. Invasive Exotic Species and Control Workshop. $10/ includes lunch and materials. CEUs available. 9-3, Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve, 108 Island Dr., Eastpoint. Monday, September 19 Sustainable Agriculture Network meeting. Free, 3pm, Hawthorne. 352-474-2328. Deadline September 22 Southeastern Hay Competition. https://sehaycontest. wordpress.com/

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September 23-24 Florida Wildflower Symposium. Workshops, walks, field trips, educational presentations on planting and growing native wildflowers, creating habitat for pollinators, etc. Silver Springs State Park, Ocala, http://bit.ly/2aqioAw. September 24 3rd Annual Color Me Green 5K Fun Run/Walk, fundraiser for Marion County 4-H, Jervey Gantt Park, Ocala. Information: Kim Condurso, 352-671-8404, Kimberly. condurso@marioncountyfl.org. Enrollment ends Sept. 30 2017 coverage, Margin Protection Program for Dairy. Voluntary program provides financial assistance to participating dairy producers when the margin (the difference between the price of milk and feed costs) falls below the coverage level selected by the producer. $100 minimum administrative fee/year. www.fsa. usda.gov/dairy. September 30-October 2 2016 Florida Springs Restoration Summit. Presentations, panel discussions, banquet dinner and keynote address Saturday, field trip to Silver Springs. Harvey R. Klein Conference Center, College of Central Florida, 3001 SW College Road, Ocala. www. springsrestorationsummit.org/ Thursday, October 6 General Standards Pesticide Class. This class prepares participants to take the Limited Commercial Landscape Management Exam or the Ornamental and Turf Exam. The session offers 6 CEUs in several licensed categories: 2 CEUs toward General Standards (CORE), and 4 CEUs toward Private Applicator Ag, Ornamental and Turf, Limited Lawn and

Ornamental, Limited Landscape Maintenance, or Commercial Lawn and Ornamental. $20, 8-3, lunch is included. Terry Holt, UF/IFAS Extension Marion County, 2232 NE Jacksonville Rd., Ocala, FL, 352671-8400. Tuesday, October 11 Panhandle Fruit and Vegetable Conference. Seminars, workshops, farm tours, trade show. Keynote speaker: Richard Wiswall, farmer/author. Early bird registration is $40 before September 6. Registration includes lunch, refreshments, educational materials, and transportation to farm tour locations. 8-4:30, Jackson County Agricultural Complex, Marianna, https://pfvc.eventbrite. com. October 14-16 1. Hernando Southern Heritage Festival and Cracker Cattle Drive. http:// CitrusCountyHistoricalSociety. org/. 2. Mushroom Cultivation Course. Join author/co-founder of Radical Mycology, Peter McCoy, for this weekend (starts Friday at 6pm) workshop. Designed for beginners to experienced growers. How to fruit mushrooms, grow mycelium, integrate into lifestyle for food, medicine, and soil health. Held at Hawthorne Community Market, 7040 SE Hwy. 301, Hawthorne. Information: bit.ly/ rmfl2016. Saturday, October 15 1. Backyard Biodiversity Day. About plant, animal, reptile, and insect diversity in yards and farms. Educational presentations, native plants for sale, more. Free, 9am, Mead Botanical Garden, 1300 S. Denning Dr., Winter Park. Tarflower.fnpschapters.org. 2. Organic Vegetable Garden Class. Free, 10am. Superior Landscape and Garden Center,

5300 N. U.S. Hwy. 27, Ocala, 352-368-6619, www. SuperiorLandscape.net. October 15-16 Annual Plant Swap and Sale. Saturday, gates open at noon; $5 donation at the gate. Bring plants to give away, trade, sell. Speakers on gardening/ permaculture. Garden tours. Sunday, 4-hour workshop on 75 clumping bamboos (edible shoots, construction, windbreaks, more), $20, 12-4. 2460 SW Mixon St., Arcadia, https://www.facebook.com/ events/930583343674152/. October 17-20 BioCycle Refor16, renewable energy from recycling conference. Hands-on info and tools in anaerobic digestion, power production, fuel and soil amendments, food waste management, composting. Caribe Royale Hotel, Orlando, http://www. biocyclerefor.com/. Dates Vary Citrus County Extension Svc. Remote Plant Clinic Dates and Locations. Fourth Monday: 2 pm, Sugarmill Woods Library. Every Tuesday, 1 pm: Lakes Region Library. First Wednesday, 2 pm: Floral City Library. Second Wednesday, 1:30 pm: Central Ridge

Now Available: Mailed Subscriptions to The Ag Mag. $24/year. Delivered to your mailbox every month! To order securely online, visit https://squareup.com/store/the-ag-mag/ OR Send your name and address with a check to: The Ag Mag PO Box 770194 Ocala, FL 34477-0194

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LANDSCAPE DESIGN & INSTALLATION

Palms • Shade Trees • Citrus Trees Annuals • Perennials • Shrubbery Pottery • Custom Planters Mulch • Pine Straw • Soil

Ponds • Waterfalls • Fountains Paver Patios • Driveways Landscape Lighting Outdoor Kitchens

SUPERIOR LANDSCAPE & GARDEN CENTER 5300 North US Highway 27, Ocala, FL 34482

352-368-6619

August 2016

Library. Third Wednesday, 1 pm: Citrus Springs Library. Second Friday: 1:30 pm, Coastal Region Library. Information: Citrus County Extension Svc., 3650 W. Sovereign Path, Suite 1, Lecanto, FL 34461, 352527-5700, www. citrus.ifas.ufl.edu. Every Wednesday Farm baskets of vegetables, jams, jellies, etc., are delivered to the Ocala Public Library every Wednesday at 2:30 pm. $2550. Reserve in advance. Crones Cradle Conserve, 6411 NE 217th Pl., Citra, 352-595-3377, www. CronesCradleConserve.org. Every Saturday Farmstead Saturdays. 9 am to 3 pm. Free admission. Lunch and pastries available. Crones Cradle Conserve, 6411 NE 217 Pl., Citra, 352-595-3377, www. CronesCradleConserve.org. Varies Citrus County Master Gardener Plant Clinics. Every Tuesday, 1pm, Lakes Region Library. First Wednesday, 2pm, Floral City Library. Second Wednesday, 1:30pm, Central Ridge Library. Second Friday, 1:30pm, Coastal Region Library. Third Wednesday, 1pm, Citrus Springs Library. Fourth Monday, 2pm, Sugarmill Woods Library. Now through September Hunter safety courses. Anyone born on or after 6/1/75 must pass an approved hunter safety course and have a license to hunt alone. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission satisfies hunter safety training requirements for all other states and Canadian provinces. Free; firearms, ammunition, materials provided free. Students should bring a pen and paper; an adult must accompany children younger than 16. Dates and locations: http://bit.ly/2ajgEGP.

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Many dates ServSafe® Food Safety and Quality Program. Class and Exam, $110; $55 more for textbook. COCOA: Fri., Aug. 5; Mon., Sept. 12 and Nov. 14. GAINESVILLE: Tues., Aug. 23; Mon., Oct. 10; Tues., Dec. 6. JACKSONVILLE: Tues., Aug. 16. LARGO: Mon., Aug. 8 and Oct. 10. LECANTO: Oct. 13. LIVE OAK: Mon., Nov. 7. OCALA: Tues., Oct. 4. ORLANDO: Sept. 19. PANAMA CITY: Thurs., Aug. 25; Wed., Sept. 28; Thurs., Nov. 17. STARKE: Wed., Aug. 24 and Nov. 9. WEST PALM BEACH: Tues., Aug. 2. YULEE: Thurs., Aug. 25 and Nov. 27. http://tinyurl.com/ nmdc3sc.

EXHIBITS Now through August 27 Water Ways, presented by the Smithsonian’s Traveling Exhibition Service. Images, videos, information, interactive elements. Tues.-Sat., 10-4, High Springs Historical Museum, 23760 NW 187th Ave., 352-514-3300, www. highspringsmuseum.org. Other stops in Florida: Curtiss Mansion Museum, Miami Springs, Sept. 3-Oct. 22; Ding Darling Wildlife Society, Oct. 29-Dec. 10, Sanibel; Historic Courthouse, Okeechobee, Dec. 17-Jan. 28; Sulphur Springs Museum, Tampa, Feb. 4-Mar. 18. Now through January 15, 2017 Wicked Plants exhibit featuring more than 100 of the world’s most diabolical botanicals, from plants that merely smell like death to those that can actually cause it. Based on Amy Stewart’s book Wicked Plants: The Weed That Killed Lincoln’s Mother, the exhibit opens into the garden of an abandoned Victorian house. Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesvile, www.flmnh. ufl.edu.

FREE ONLINE CLASSES Cover Crop Options for Hot and High Humidity Areas, http:// bit.ly/2ahkP61. Promoting Specialty Crops as Local. Communicating with consumers. www.piecenter.com/ training/local/ Sustainable Agricultural Research & Education (SARE) offers classes on sustainable agriculture, strategic farm planning and marketing, and more. http:// bit.ly/28KVYUH USDA topics including funding and initiatives. Upcoming and past webinars are listed; they are eventually archived and available for tuning in later. http:// bit.ly/2a7hyXe.

GRANTS, SCHOLARSHIPS, OTHER FUNDING Deadline September 9 AFA Future of America: AFA Leaders Conference sponsorships. Awards include registration, hotel and meals at AFA Leaders Conference in Kansas City, MO, Nov. 3-16. http://bit.ly/2amms1T. Deadline October 1 The Donald Samull Classroom Herb Garden Grant. Open to teachers of grades 3-6 with at least 15 students. 10 grants, $200 each, available for indoor or outdoor herb gardens for supplies such as soil, plant trays, containers, etc. http://herbsociety.org/ resources/samull-grant.html. No Specific Deadline 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 Took Kit including school garden manual, lesson plans, and more. http:// bit.ly/28Vv3Gm. 2. Fresh Access Bucks is seeking applications to add more farmers and markets to their network. This is to encourage SNAP recipients to redeem their benefits at farmers’ markets and at farms that sell direct to consumers. Matching funds. 352-377-6355, x.125, www.FreshAccessBucks.com.

SUMMER CAMPS

Deadlines vary 1. Florida Agricultural Scholarships Online. Check this web site often for announcements of new awards. www.FloridaAgricultureScholarships.com. 2. USDA grants, loans, and other support. Many programs are open to individual and family farmers, even people starting out. Micro-loans are fast tracked. There are other programs open to farmers’ markets, nonprofits, and educational providers. www.usda. gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?navid=KYF_ GRANTS.

Send your agriculture- and gardening-related Calendar listings to TheAgMag@gmail.com.

POSITIONS, INTERNSHIPS Deadline August 5 Program Coordinator to be responsible for the safe and efficient operation of two portable/ traveling trailers to visit third and fourth graders to provide an agricultural learning experience for them; oversee and train two presenters per trailer. Contract position; hourly plus mileage. Information: http:// bit.ly/2a0ijUT. Send cover letter and resume with references to Lisa Gaskalla, Florida Agriculture in the Classroom, Inc., gaskalla@ufl.edu, 352-846-1391. Deadlines vary 1. Florida Sea Grant. If you are interested in marine and coastal work, check in with the Florida Sea Grant program, as new positions are posted frequently. www.flseagrant.org/about/jobs/ 2. Internships in the beef industry. Many opportunities; some include housing. www. floridacattlemen.org/internship-opportunities/ 3. UF/IFAS. Extension agents, dairy cattle assistants, water resources agents, horticulture agents, veterinary support, professors, teaching assistants, much more. Check out the list at http://explore.jobs. ufl.edu/cw/en-us/listing/.

August 1-5 1. Archery Camp, ages 9-15. $50/child, 9-12. Brick City Adventure Park, 1211 SE 22nd Road, Ocala, 352-671-8560. 2. Blue Moon Ranch Horse Day Camp. $225/ week, $50/day. Ride every day, groom, tack, play on horseback. Ages 6-16, 9-4. Wildwood, 352-578-4947, www.BlueMoonRanchFl.com.

Holy Moses Water Treatment, Bryant’s Pump Service and Well Drilling 24-Hour Emergency Service Pumps, Wells, Softening, Purification and More — All makes and sizes! 352-629-3769 P Ocala, FL 386-755-3358 P Lake City, FL 229-559-8272 P Lake Park, GA Holym@bellsouth.net

Pineywoods Automotive, Inc.

- Your Neighborhood Garage MV11887

Maintenance - Service - Repair Foreign & Domestic Trailer Repair & Service Oil Change Available for most vehicles including tractors 352-629-6727 Fax: 352-351-2946 5800 N US Hwy 27, Ocala, FL 34482

Please Make Appointment August 2016

Spinach & Mushroom Quiche Recipe by Carolyn Blakeslee

Makes Two Prep time: 30-40 minutes plus bake time

Directions:

Ingredients:

1. Preheat oven to 375F. With fork, pierce the pie shells here and there to avoid bubbles. Optional: Sprinkle a little cheese onto shells. Pre-bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven, set aside.

2 pie shells * 5 large eggs 1½ cups whipping cream or whipping plus half-and-half 16 oz. grated Swiss, and/or Gruyere, and/or Jarlsberg cheese 1 lb. button mushrooms washed, patted dry 2 pkg. 10 oz. frozen chopped spinach (or 1 lb. fresh spinach) 6 medium-large fresh garlic cloves 1 tsp. fresh-squeezed lemon ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg ½ tsp. sea salt 4 tbsp. butter (2 tbsp. for cooking the mushrooms, the rest cut into pea-sized dollops and set aside) * If you buy frozen pie shells, I recommend Marie Callender deep-dish.

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2. On stovetop, cook the spinach in a little bit of water. Drain, squeeze wetness out (moist is okay) between paper towels. Chop. Set aside. 3. Slice the mushrooms by hand (better texture that way). Peel, trim, smash, and mince the garlic cloves. On stovetop, melt the butter in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and toss until tender. Add the mushrooms. They’ll begin to “sweat.” Continue to stir them until the liquid has evaporated. 4. Combine all the ingredients except butter. Add to pie shells. 5. Put the dollops of butter on top. 6. Slide into upper third of oven and bake for 40 minutes or until it is golden brown and slightly puffed. A fork inserted into the center should come out clean and they should “smell done.” Remove from the oven and let them sit for 15 minutes or so before serving. (NOTE: If you bake them on a large cookie sheet, they are easier to take in and out of the oven, and spills/overflow if any won’t pose a cleanup or aroma problem.)

August 7th at 3 PM August 7 at 3:00 PM Darin: Bobby's Biggest Hits August 20 at 6:00 PM Feed the Need: Night of Praise August 27 at 7:30 PM Jurassic Park movie and LIVE shadow cast

September 25th at 3 PM

September 22 at 5:30 PM Applaud the Arts: An Evening of Celebration and Announcement of MCA'S 2016-17 Cultural Grants and Awesome for Arts Leadership Awards September 25 at 3:00 PM Love Sick Blues: Remembering Hank Williams September 29 at 7:00 PM WUFT and PBS Present: Ethan Bortnick

Ocala's Home for Live Entertainment! Visit www. ReillyArtsCenter.com (352) 351-1606 | 500 NE 9th St. Ocala, FL | Box Office Hours 10 am - 2 pm Mon-Fri August 2016

End of summer blowout! Clearance on ALL 2016 models! Come cool off with deals that can’t be beat!

We ¤ nts e ignm Cons rades and T

2016 Sundowner Super Sport 2-Horse Slant Load Gooseneck $16,050

2016 Sundowner Sportman 3-Horse Slant Load Bumper Pull $16,000

2016 Sundowner Super Sport 3-Horse Slant Load Bumper Pull $14,750

2016 Sundowner Rancher 16’ $14,750 and Rancher 20’ $16,500

2016 Sundowner Super Sport 2-Horse Slant Load Bumper Pull $13,000

2016 Sundowner Super Sport 3-Horse Slant Load Gooseneck $17,500

2016 Sundowner Sportman 2-Horse Slant Load Bumper Pull $13,000

2016 Sundowner Rancher Special 3-Horse Slant Load Gooseneck $15,750

Ocala Trailer Sales 6785 West Highway 40 l Ocala, FL 34482 352-629-0212 l www.OcalaTrailerSales.com

ALL Sundowner models come with an 8-year Transferable Structural Warranty as well as a 3-year Hitch to Bumper Warranty. Sundowner’s ONLY North/Central Florida Authorized Warranty Service & Repair Shop, offering service and repair on all makes and models. Easy financing available, 4.95% with approved credit. The trailer of your dreams CAN be yours!

Where quality doesn’t cost, it pays! 36

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